In a sudden turn of events, Jubo League chairman Omar Faruk Chowdhury was expelled from the organisation on Sunday night. The decision came from a crucial meeting, held between Awami League President Sheikh Hasina and senior JL leaders, at PM’s official residence Ganabhaban in the city, to discuss and finalise the future top leaders of JL.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina chaired the meeting. In the meeting, she issued strong words of warning against the Jubo League leaders who would be involved in running illegal casino business, tender manipulation and other offences, which will be dealt with iron hand, meeting sources said.
According to sources, besides the expelled JL president, presidium members Nurunnabi Chowdhury Shawon, Professor Mizanur Rahman, Sheikh Atiar Rahman Dipu and Sheikh Maruf were not allowed to attend the meeting. Earlier a list containing names of 40 people including 26 presidium members, 9 organisational secretaries and five joint general secretaries was sent to Ganabhaban.
Sheikh Hasina, also Awami League President asked the Juba League leaders to free the organisation from stigma immediately and uphold its clean image. In the wake of massive allegations of running illegal casino business, tender manipulation and extortion against a section of Jubo League leaders, she came up with this warning.
Prior to the meeting, referring to Sunday’s killing of four people in Bhola over a fake Facebook propaganda, Sheikh Hasina said when the country is marching forward vested quarters are engaged in plotting to destabilise the country in many ways. “As part of implementing the conspiracy, the incident of Borhanuddin upazila in Bhola has occurred. I’m calling upon the countrymen to be patient,” she said in the meeting.
The premier observed that the incident took place centering the hacking of a Facebook ID. “Facebook authority has already been asked for the information in this regard,” she said. Warning of strict action, the premier said that it would not be tolerated at all if anybody amasses wealth illegally. Tough measures would be taken against the persons involved in propagating fake news using facebook and attacking government officials using that propaganda.
The prime minister also observed that the fake propaganda was initiated only to tarnish the image of the government. “Persons involved in the incident would not be spared,” she warned again. On Sunday noon, four people were killed and an unspecified number of others injured in a clash between police and local people while demonstrating in Borhanuddin upazila on Sunday, demanding the punishment of a youth ‘for a Facebook post’ hurting the religious sentiment.
The four were identified as Mizan, Mahfuz Patwari, Shaheen and Mahbub Patwari -- were killed, said Dr Abul Kalam Azad, medical officer of Bhola Sadar Hospital. Thirty people who suffered bullet wounds during the clash were admitted to Barishal Sher-e-Bangla Medical College Hospital, said Dr Abul Hasnat Russell at the hospital’s emergency department.
