BNP's Habiganj upazila president held over alleged abusive phone call to OC

Detective Branch (DB) police in Habiganj today (22 February) detained a BNP upazila president after an audio clip of his alleged abusive remarks to a police officer spread on social media.

The BNP leader Ferdous Ahmed Chowdhury Tushar was picked up from his residence in the Shayestanagar area of Habiganj town in the afternoon, a district police source said.

An assistant superintendent of police in Habiganj, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Tushar was taken for questioning and further legal action would be considered. No case has been filed yet.

Witnesses said a DB team took Tushar into custody in a white microbus.

According to police, the incident began on Saturday afternoon when Tushar allegedly spoke to Bahubal Model Police Station Officer-in-Charge Mohammad Saiful Islam over the phone.

The OC said he could not receive an initial call from the BNP leader. Later, Tushar spoke to him using the phone of Swechchhasebak Dal central member Mokhlesur Rahman.

The audio recording of the conversation circulated on Facebook and other social media platforms on Saturday night. In the clip, a voice alleged to be Tushar's is heard using offensive language toward the OC. The recording drew widespread criticism in various quarters.

Speaking on Saturday night, OC Saiful Islam alleged that Tushar used abusive language and threatened him, saying he could not carry out his official responsibilities in Bahubal without his approval.

Tushar denied the allegation. He said there was no proof that he directly called the OC and challenged him to provide evidence.

He also alleged that the current OC was involved in illegal activities, including drugs and gambling, and demanded his withdrawal and an investigation into the allegations.

Following Tushar's detention, BNP leaders and activists blocked the Dhaka-Sylhet highway in Bahubal, demanding his release and the withdrawal of the OC.