No room for vandalism: Army officer after attack on GM Quader’s home in Rangpur
Leaders of the Students Against Discrimination and BNP were summoned and questioned over the attack
Army personnel summoned and questioned leaders of the Students Against Discrimination (SAD) and the BNP in the early hours of today in connection with the attack and vandalism at the residence of Jatiyo Party Chairman GM Quader in Rangpur.
An officer later said no one will be allowed to set fire or destroy homes.
Around 12:30am, Brig Gen Humayun Kaiyum questioned Imran Ahmed and Imtiaz Ahmed Imti, conveners of the district and city units of SAD, at the city's Payera intersection. Local BNP leaders were also interrogated around the same time.
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The attack and vandalism took place at Quader's residence in Rangpur's Senpara area around 8:45pm on Thursday. The Jatiyo Party chief was at the house during the incident.
National Citizen Party (NCP) Chief Organiser (North) Sarjis Alam rushed to the scene upon hearing the news of SAD leaders being questioned and spoke with Brigadier General Humayun Kaiyum, commander of the army's 72nd Infantry Brigade.
Speaking to reporters afterwards, Brig Gen Kaiyum said, "For now, our position is clear – those who disrupt public life, engage in vandalism, set fires in the name of a mob, or destroy homes must get the message: they will not be allowed such opportunities anymore."
Sarjis told reporters, "If it's for the sake of investigation, anyone – from SAD, BNP, Jamaat, or NCP – can be questioned. But we believe doing it at 1am or 2am sends the wrong message."
Everyone will cooperate if they are spoken with in the daytime, he added.
He added, "For the past 16 years, the Jatiyo Party has helped the Awami League become an authoritarian regime. It's essentially the Awami League's B team.
"Their rallies are joined by leaders and activists from the Awami League and Jubo League. GM Quader's secret meetings in Rangpur are part of a process to reorganise the Awami League under the cover of the Jatiya Party."
"When anti-discrimination activists protested this, Jatiyo Party members attacked them," Sarjis alleged.
Following the attack, leaders and activists of SAD and NCP, and Jatiyo Party carried out rival demonstrations, leading to several rounds of chase and counter-chase between the groups.
