Shoes thrown at whip Shamsul Huq Chy, his brother assulted in Patiya

Chattogram-12 constituency's (Patiya) independent candidate and Jatiya Sangsad whip Shamsul Huq Chowdhury's motorcade came under attack during an election campaign in Patiya on Saturday morning.

The incident happened at about 11:30am at Shantirhat area under Patiya upazila.

In the evening, they were allegedly assaulted again when the convoy of the whip faced another attack during the campaign in Mahmad Nagar area in the constituency.
In the two incident, two people were shot, 20 more people were injured along with younger sister of the whip, and cars used in campaign were vandalised.

The shot people were Mohammad Monir, 42, and Idris, 40. And the identified injured were Fazlul Haq Chowdhury Mohabbat, 55, brother of the whip, and sister Rekha Chowdhury, 40, and Nazma Akter, 30, Belal Chowdhury, 55, Arif, 32, Abu Taiyob, 32, Rimon, 27, Mihaz, 25, Manik, 40 and UP member Salauddin Sarwar, 33.

There were allegations that 'Boat'  candidate's supporters launched attack on Shamsul Huq Chowdhury's motorcade. He was confined for about an hour at that time. The angry people chanted slogans against Patiya Upazila Awami League's controversial leader M Ejaz Chowdhury who was on board the whip's car. They also demanded to drop Ejaz from the car.

Terming Ejaz as 'yaba godfather,' the agitated people chanted slogans against him. They hurled shoes at independent candidate Shamsul Huq Chowdhury's car. They also vandalised the whip's car and threw shoes at him. During the incident, plying of vehicles on both sides of the road got stranded.

At one stage, whip's brother Fazlul Huq Chowdhury Prokash Mahabbat was brough down from his car and the agitated people forced him to up and down holding his ears. They also assulted him physically, leaving him injured on his head.

The angry people alleged that Mohabbat had been involved in irregularities, looting, and occupying business in the area over the last 15 years.

Witnesses said independent candidate Shamsul Huq Chowdhury was scheduled to join a publicity campaign at Kushumpura under the upazila. Accordingly, he came out with his motorcade from Chattogram city on Saturday morning. When the motorcade reached at Jiri Madrasa gate at Shantirhat Bazar in Patiya, some 15-20 people waylaid the motorcade. They also confined whip Shamsul Huq Chowdhury.

The local people turned angry hearing that the independent candidate Shamsul Huq Chowdhury was going to expelled Patiya upazila Awami League leader Ejaz's home.

Later, local Awami League leaders and police went to the spot and rescued the whip. They also took necessary steps and whip subsequently left the place safely.

However, the Awami League's Election Conducting Committee's member secretary Prof Harun-ur-Rashid said there was no supporter of 'Boat' at that time. Being angry over whip and his brothers for repression and torture on local people in Chattogram-12 constituency over the last 15 years,  they hurled shoes at him.  

Meanwhile, independent candidate Shamsul Huq Chowdhury held Awami League candidate Motaherul Islam Chowdhury responsible for the attack and vandalsing his motorcade.

He alleged that 'Boat' candidate did it being afraid of losing the election on January 7.

Patiya Circle's additional police super Ariful Islam Khan said receiving information that 'Eagle' election symbol's candidate came under attack, police rushed to the spot and brought the situation under control.

He said legal steps would be taken if they received any written complaint.