The gun toting youth who was seen firing in Patharghata on the day of Chattogram city election, has been identified. He is AFM Saifuddin, vice president of Chattogram city unit Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL).
The police, however, are yet to detain him even after the disclosure of his identity. Also on the day of the election, a picture of another youth wielding a firearm at Ambagan Pahartali, appeared in the media. He has not been traced as yet.
Supporters of AL and BNP-backed councilor candidates clashed in Patharghata ward around noon on Wednesday, the election day.
A youth in black pants and a jacket was seen firing at the opponents. The police were able to trace the youth as the video went on viral on social media.
General secretary of BCL Chattogram city unit Zakaria Dastagir told Prothom Alo he had been informed about the incident. He had watched the video but was not sure.
Armed youth in Ambagan yet to be identified
On the morning of the election, a day labourer Alauddin was shot dead during clashes between AL-backed candidates and the party’s rebel candidates in front of Ambagan UCEP Technical School in Pahartali ward.
A youth wearing a black jacket was seen aiming his gun towards the opponents. He has not been identified as yet. A case was filed at the Railway police station in this incident.
The Railway police station officer-in-charge Sohrab Hossain said on Friday evening that no one had been traced and the gun was not recovered yet.
Meanwhile, five days after the start of electioneering, on 12 January a leader of the locality, Asgar Ali alias Babul, was shot dead in a clash between the supporters of AL-backed councilor candidate Nazrul Islam Bahadur and the party’s rebel candidate Abdul Quader at Magpukur Par of Pathantuli ward.
Police have arrested 11 people in the incident, including the rebel candidate Abdul Quader. Although Quader was taken to remand on two occasions, the gun used in the killing has not been recovered yet. The police could not either trace who actually shot Babul dead.
Investigating officer of the case, Inspector Shahadat Hossain Khan of the CMP detective branch told Prothom Alo that efforts were also being made to recover the firearm used in the incident.
Pictures of a group of youths walking around the Lalkhan Bazar ward with iron rods and knives on polling day appeared in the media. But their identities could not be confirmed.
Arms factory found
Meanwhile, police claimed to have found an arms factory at a house in the city while looking for the source of gunfire heard Thursday night. Police said that some arms and arms manufacturing equipment were found in the pigeon coop of that house.
Police conducted a drive on Thursday night regarding the gunfire, said Double Mooring police station in a press briefing on Friday noon.
The press briefing said Nizam Khan, who managed to flee away, is the owner of the house. But police arrested his wife Meherunnesa Mukta, 39, and recovered two pipe guns and an air gun.
A case has been filed in this incident under the firearms act.
CMP (West) deputy commissioner Farukul Haque said after receiving a call on 999, the police went to the place to identify the source of the gunfire and discovered the illegal arms factory.
He said pipe guns were being made at that house. As part of the election violence, Nizam Khan shot at his neighbour Shah Alam, but missed. Alam survived. Later, Nizam left the area when people come forward hearing the gun shot.
