‘Vaccine seeker’ ends up among accused in BNP-police clash case
Police detained Tariqul, who was going to get the second dose of Covid-19 vaccine, when he reportedly got caught in the clash between the police and BNP near Chandrima Udyan on Tuesday
Tariqul Islam Khan from Jhalakathi works in the Faridpur regional office of a multinational company. He comes to Dhaka frequently to meet his relatives. He also received the first dose of Covid-19 vaccine from a center at Uttara in July. He came to Dhaka on 16 August on holiday as he was supposed to receive the second dose of vaccine on 17 August.
When Tariqul was on his way to get the second dose of vaccine, he got stuck on the road due to a clash between the BNP activists and the police at Chandrima Udyan in the capital. He was detained along with other BNP leaders and activists as a suspect when he tried to get off the bus and tried to walk ahead, claimed his relatives.
When Tariqul's relatives contacted the police as they could not find his whereabouts, they learned that he had been arrested. The next day (Wednesday), the Sher-e-Bangla Nagar police filed a case against 153 BNP leaders and activists and 2,000-3,000 unidentified people. Tariqul was made the 26th accused in the case of assault and injuring police, vandalism and attempted murder.
Keep updated, follow The Business Standard's Google news channel
Tariqul's younger brother Shariful Islam Khan told the Business Standard that he had a vaccine card when he was detained by the police.
Shariful said, "My brother tried to convince the police several times that he was not a BNP activist, but the police arrested him without hearing anything. Sher-e-Bangla Nagar police station and Tejgaon division police assured us that he would be released, but in the morning I heard that he has been accused in the case and was later taken to the court.
"In this way an innocent man became the accused in the case. Is there no justice in the country?" asked Shariful.
Sahabuddin Shuru Mia, president of Awami League unit in Baruia union parishad in Rajapur upazila of Jhalokati, and its General Secretary Golam Mostafa said in a certificate dated 18 August, "Tariqul Islam Khan, son of Rustam Ali Khan of Adakhola village, is an active member of Awami League in Ward-2 here. As we know him personally, we do not think that he is involved in the politics of any party other than the Awami League. To our knowledge, he is not involved in any act that violates the party discipline."
The names of posts of many accused in the case were mentioned, but there was no mention of Tariqul's post in BNP or any of its affiliates.
Our correspondent went to the Dhaka Chief Metropolitan Magistrate's Court on Wednesday and spoke to two BNP leaders accused in the case. The two leaders also said they did not know anyone by the name of Tariqul Islam Khan, nor did they have any activist in the metropolitan committee by that name.
Md Obaidullah, an office attendant of Unity Throw Population Service (UPTS) vaccine centre, told TBS that he talked with Tariqul last at 10am on Tuesday.
"When I spoke to him, he said that he was at a place near Agargaon and it could take another 30 minutes to an hour to reach the vaccine centre. After that I called him many times but could not reach him. Later I heard that he was caught in the middle of a clash between the BNP and the police. This is very sad," said Obaidullah.
He said Tariqul had taken the first dose of Covid-19 vaccine from the UPTS in Sector 6, Uttara on 16 or 17 July. He was scheduled to receive his second dose of the vaccine on 17 August, according to the Directorate General of Health Services' rules.
The regional director of the company where Tariqul works said, "He was supposed to return to work in Faridpur after receiving the second dose of vaccine in Dhaka. I have never heard of him being actively involved in politics."
Despite several attempts, this reporter could not reach Dhaka Metropolitan Police Tejgaon Division Deputy Commissioner Md Shahidullah over phone for comments regarding the matter.
Asked about the matter, Sher-e-Bangla Nagar Police Sub-Inspector Prabir Ranjan Dhar told TBS that they had arrested 47 people from Chandrima Udyan and the Trade Fair grounds at the time of the incident.
He said, "Many were detained at the scene and from the surrounding area. No one arrested by checking their posts in the party. Many could have gone to visit there, but why would anyone come to visit in such an untouched situation?"
