BNP leader beats driver, passenger, vandalises bus over alleged misbehaviour
“Do whatever you can to me. Tell the BNP high command that my name is Iqbal, secretary of Siddhirganj BNP,” the BNP leader told a passenger, who was also beaten up, before getting off the bus
A Narayanganj BNP leader and his followers today (13 December) beat up a bus driver and vandalised the vehicle after the driver allegedly misbehaved with him.
They also beat up a passenger when he protested against the vandalism.
The incident took place in the Sanarpar area of Siddhirgaj at around 12pm.
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The bus driver was identified as Noyon, who drives an Asean AC bus on the Dhaka-Narayanganj route. He was given medical treatment at a local hospital.
Speaking to The Business Standard, the BNP leader, Iqbal Hossain, former councillor of Ward-2 of Narayanganj City Corporation and general secretary of Siddhirganj BNP unit, admitted to the allegations.
"The driver misbehaved. When I asked him to drive properly, he told me, 'Come, you drive'. Then I told him that I would take care of his attitude once we reached the Signboard area. He then told me that many people make such empty threats," Iqbal told TBS over the phone.
"And did he [Noyon] apologise? I first thought of making him hold his ears and let him go. But the public doesn't understand that," he added.
However, Iqbal said his supporters beat up the passenger, identified as Minhaj Aman who is a cybersecurity researcher and fact checker, "by mistake" and that he has apologised to the victim for this.
Driver Noyon alleged he was beaten up and the bus was vandalised because he talked to the BNP leader "in a loud voice".
Noyon said, "We were coming from Gulistan when we faced heavy traffic congestion in the Saidabad area. A motorcycle abruptly came in front of the bus and I was forced to do a hard brake which jolted the passengers. At this point, the BNP leader said, 'How are you driving the bus?' and we got into an argument over it. He threatened to beat me up.
"When the bus reached Sanarpar, 25-30 people vandalised the bus and beat me mercilessly. They hit me on the head. My head got cut from shards of glass from broken windows. He let me go after I apologised. I have informed the owner of the bus. I will do whatever they ask me to."
Meanwhile, passenger Mihaz said he was beaten up when he asked the BNP men to not vandalise the bus.
"The BNP leader was angry at the bus driver over his behaviour. When they were vandalising the bus at Sanarpar, I told them it was not right. Hearing this, the BNP leader's supporters grabbed me by the throat and beat me," he said.
Minhaj said when he talked to the BNP leader over this, Iqbal replied, "Do whatever you can to me. Tell the BNP high command that my name is Iqbal, secretary of Siddhirganj BNP."
In an apparent display of boasting, Iqbal also gave his visiting card, which details his political identity as a BNP leader and contact information, to driver Noyon before he left the area with his followers.
Reached for comment, Fateh Md Reza Ripon, one of the owners of the bus company and a Narayanganj city BNP leader, said he was not informed of the matter.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, however, another owner of the company said, "We'll sort out the matter amongst ourselves."
Contacted over the matter, Siddhirganj Police Station Officer-in-Charge Shahinur Alam said, "The matter has come to our attention through journalists and social media posts. We will take action if a complaint is filed."
