Ctg lawmaker Mustafizur leads rally with firearm in hand

Mustafizur Rahaman Chowdhury, Member of Parliament from Chattogram-16 (Banshkhali) constituency, has once again drawn public attention for leading a political procession while carrying a firearm in his hand.

The rally, organised by Banskhali Upazila Awami League, was held on Monday (22 May) afternoon to protest the alleged death threat to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

In a video of the procession posted on Facebook, from an account named Mustafizur Rahman MP, it was seen that Awami League leaders and activists are marching with a banner, in front of which the lawmaker is walking with a handgun in hand. At the time, some policemen were seen making way for the procession.    

Banskhali Police Station Officer-in-Charge Kamal Uddin, when contacted, said he was not present at the rally when the incident took place, however, admitting that he is aware of the fact that the MP does carry his licensed weapon with him all the time.

The Chattogram-16 MP did not receive phone calls when The Business Standard tried to contact him for comments regarding the incident.

According to a media statement issued in this regard, MP Mustafizur Rahaman hurled counter questions at his critics asking why he cannot take part in a procession with his licensed gun when a BNP leader can openly threaten the premier in a public meeting.

Calling on party leaders and activists to be vigilant, he said, "The anti-liberation and anti-state BNP-Jamaat alliance has been repeatedly threatening to kill Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina with aims to destroy the development, progress and prosperity of the country. Everyone must be more careful now and take initiative to guard their hold."

"We must fight anti-state plots and arsonists as we did during the Liberation War in 1971," the statement added.

This is not the first time that Mustafizur garnered negative limelight. Earlier, the lawmaker drew criticism for physically abusing an election officer and making controversial remarks on the liberation war and the freedom fighters.

When asked, Chattogram South District Awami League General Secretary Mofizur Rahman said there is an ongoing nationwide protest demanding the trial of the BNP leader who threatened to kill Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

"However, the Awami League does not believe in the politics of terror. It is against our ideals," he added.

Earlier, a video of Rajshahi district BNP convener Abu Sayeed Chand went viral on social media triggering protests among Awami League leaders and supporters.

It was claimed that the BNP leader on Friday (19 May) threatened the prime minister at a public rally of metropolitan and district BNP at Shibpur High School ground in Puthia Upazila of Rajshahi as part of the central programme.

Three days later, on Monday, a case was filed over the incident accusing BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and Rajshahi district BNP convener Abu Sayeed Chand of making a "death threat" against the prime minister and Awami League president Sheikh Hasina.