‘I will rip out your guts’: BNP leader who threatened Cumilla edu board chairman show-caused

Former BNP member of parliament Abdul Gafur Bhuiyan has been served a show-cause notice by his party for allegedly abusing and threatening the Chairman of the Cumilla Secondary and Higher Secondary Education Board, Professor Md Shamsul Islam.

The notice, issued today (15 August), was sent by the BNP's Cumilla Divisional Organising Secretary Md Selim Bhuiyan. The former lawmaker has been instructed to provide a response to the show-cause notice within three working days.

Audio recording of a phone conversation has gone viral on social media, in which Bhuiyan is heard making obscene remarks and threatening both the education board chairman and Cumilla Deputy Commissioner (DC) Md Amirul Kyser.

The show-cause notice references the viral audio and also mentions national news reports that educational institutions in Nangalkot upazila were closed on 11 and 12 August to hold various union conferences of the BNP.

The threats are reportedly linked to a dispute over the president's position at the Bholain Bazar High School and College in Nangalkot upazila.

The former lawmaker was reportedly angered by the DC's recommendation to appoint Dr Mir Abu Saleh Shamsuddin Shishir, the elder brother of Shamsuddin Didar, a member of BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia's press wing, to the post.

The education board chairman had forwarded this recommendation, which allegedly led to the heated phone call.

In the leaked audio, Bhuiyan is heard threatening Professor Shamsul, saying, "I will rip out the guts of whoever put you here, and I will rip out your guts too."

He further warned the chairman to handle the matter properly or face consequences, adding, "I will take care of you. I am not a 'tokai'. I was a lawmaker. I know the laws." There are also allegations that he went to the board office the next day with his associates to intimidate the chairman.

'My brother resigned'

Following the incident, at the special request of the education board chairman, Dr Shishir resigned from the post of president on 19 May.

The day after, on 20 May, Bhuiyan himself became the president of the board of Bholain Bazar High School and College.

Contacted on 13 August, Shamsul said, "He behaved badly with me over an ad-hoc committee for a school in Nangalkot. However, I do not wish to say more about it officially."

Cumilla DC Kysar said, "I have not spoken to the former lawmaker Abdul Gafur Bhuiyan. However, I do not know why he abused me. I do not want to comment on this matter."

Bhuiyan could not be reached for comments. 

Meanwhile, Shamsuddin Didar claimed, "After 5 August 2024, Gafur Bhuiyan has decimated BNP politics in Nangalkot."

He added, "On 19 May, after verbally abusing the education board chairman over phone, he physically assaulted the chairman at the board office on 20 May. On that day, Professor Md Shamsul Islam called my brother and requested him to resign from the president's position.

"My brother resigned on the same day out of respect for the chairman," he said.