6 detained over attack on Faridpur SAD leader by 'BNP men': What we know so far

Six people have been detained over the assault on a leader of the Students Against Discrimination in Faridpur yesterday (30 May) for protesting the eve-teasing of her younger sister.

The assault occurred at the Bhobokdia bus stand area along the Faridpur-Barishal highway in Nagarkanda upazila yesterday afternoon.

The victim, Baishakhi Akter, 17, joint member secretary of the SAD's district committee, went live on Facebook after the incident. 

She accused party activists of the BNP over the attack, a claim which the local leaders of the party have vehemently denied, framing it as an "internal matter of two families".

According to a general diary filed over the incident, Baishakhi's sister, Chaiti Akter, 15, was being harassed allegedly by a neighbour, Sharif Bepari, 21, and his accomplices on her way to school. 

Despite being previously warned by local elders, Sharif allegedly continued the harassment.

The situation escalated on 29 May when Sharif allegedly harassed Chaiti again near their home, prompting the family to report the incident to the police, according to the GD. 

After this a mediation was called. 

"I attended a mediation to protest the harassment of my sister, and that's when we were assaulted. Even our house was attacked. We are not safe right now," Baishakhi told The Business Standard.

In a live video she also said the assailants were looking to "kill her father".

Six detained

Centring the incident, the police picked up six men, including the prime accused, Sharif Bepari. 

Speaking to The Business Standard, Faridpur Additional Superintendent of Police Asif Iqbal said the detains came following the harassment of a girl. 

"The situation is currently normal. More operations are underway with the help of the army," he added. 

On whether those detained belonged to the BNP, the police did not comment.

Following the attack, students and activists staged a protest demanding the immediate arrest and exemplary punishment of the attackers. 

They blocked the highway for three hours starting at 7pm yesterday, calling on the authorities to take action.

Police say traffic later returned to normalcy.

What BNP says

Nagarkanda Upazila BNP Joint General Secretary Badiuzzaman Mollah has claimed that both the family of the victim and the boy were members of the AL. 

"The BNP has no connection with the incident," he said.

Nagarkanda Upazila BNP Organising Secretary Shawkat Ali Sharif also said the issue was an internal matter between the two families of Bhabukdia village. 

"The BNP or politics has no involvement in this."

Speaking to The Business Standard, Kazi Riazul Islam, a coordinator of the district's SAD, said, "A mediation meeting involving local police was scheduled for Friday afternoon to address the harassment. However, during the meeting, supporters of the Awami League attacked Baishakhi and her sister."

OC of Nagarkanda Police Station withdrawn

Md Safar Ali, the officer-in-charge (OC) of Nagarkanda Police Station in Faridpur, has been withdrawn following yesterday's incident.

Confirming the matter, Additional Superintendent of Police (Administration and Crime) Md Shamsul Azam said the OC has been temporarily reassigned to the Faridpur Police Lines based on an administrative decision.

The order was issued today by Faridpur Superintendent of Police Md Abdul Jalil, he added.