Ruling party to besiege DC office today
The municipal AL at an emergency meeting Saturday at the district Awami League office in the town decided to bring out the procession and besiege the DC office demanding withdrawal of cases against the party activists accused of vandalising of office and frustrating test for recruitment of lower grade employees on September 17.
Abdus Samad Khan Ratan, Shahjahan Khan Makoon, Mohiuddin Tufan, Taslim Hasan Sumon and all ward presidents and secretaries of the party attended the meeting.
The meeting reiterated the allegation that the deputy commissioner was involved in the leakage of question paper of the test that resulted in the trouble. It said the party activists were falsely implicated in the case and demanded its immediate withdrawal.
Meanwhile, a procession led by district Juba League general secretary Rakib Hasan Tipu and his supporters brought out a procession in support of the deputy commissioner. The procession demanded immediate arrest and punishment of those involved in the September 17 incidents.
The procession manifested sharp division in the ruling Awami League and its associate organisations.
Meanwhile, Obaidul Kader MP and presidium member of the ruling Awami League has expressed annoyance at the reported wrongdoings of the party's youth and student fronts and said the incidents of Pabna has tarnished its image.
'The onus undoubtedly lies with us for tender manipulations, extortion, land grabbing and terrorist activities by a section of Chhatra League, Juba League and other associate organisations of the Awami League,' said Kader who is known as outspoken within the ruling party. 'We cannot avoid the responsibility.'
Exchanging views with newsmen at Hiltop Circuit House in Cox's Bazar Saturday he said it was no use issuing warning to them. Whoever they are, strong action should be taken against the wrongdoers.
Former Awami League organising secretary Mahamudur Rahman Manna has slammed the government for its silence over the assault of Pabna district administration officials, reports Bdnews24.com.
'The officials are crying and we are simply watching them. The government is doing nothing,' he told a meeting in the city on Saturday.
His comments came two days after the officials at a press conference narrated their helplessness and insecurity after the attack of pro-government activists during a preliminary test for recruitment of clerks in the district administration on September 17.
Manna said, 'There is a sort of festival around the country. We have got to come out of this culture that the ruling party has to gain from these things.'
Manna, a former Dhaka University Central Students' Union president, was one of those Awami League leaders who supported 'reforms' in the party during the military-installed interim government's tenure between 2007 and 2008 perceivably at the indication of the ruling government when the political parties.
He was not accommodated in the new committee of the party and also not given a nomination in the ninth general elections held in end December 2008.
Retired bureaucrats including a former cabinet secretary expressed concern over the government's indifference to attacks on public servants in Pabna.
They said that the field officials in general would become frustrated and lose their confidence if the government fails to provide them with security for discharging their duties.
'The government should have taken action against those behind the attacks on the officials in Pabna without delay. There is no scope for showing indifference to such a case,' retired cabinet secretary and also former adviser to the caretaker government Akbar Ali Khan told New Age on Saturday.
He said the government's interest would not be protected if the interests of its officials and their honour remain unprotected.
Activists of the ruling Awami League on September 17 went on a rampage forcing the administration to postpone the recruitment examination for appointing some employees for the deputy commissioner's office in Pabna.
Local leaders and activists of the Awami League and its associate bodies damaged vehicles of the administration and assaulted officials and staff.
They also set fire to answer scripts and admit cards and snatched away mobile sets, wristwatches and money from the examinees.
Professionals and politicians irrespective of their political affiliation on Thursday rallied behind the district administration, demanding exemplary punishment to the perpetrators.
Deputy Commissioner of Pabna AFM Monjur Kabir and other officials of the field administration expressed their helplessness in the face attacks by pro-government activists at a meeting with the civil society members.
Local lawmaker Golam Faruk Khandkar reportedly alleged the DC was acting against the Awami League. And the DC, on the contrary, alleged that the lawmaker was pressurising him for realizing 'unethical demands'.
Asked for comment, Akbar Ali, however, said that the government seems to be hesitating in taking a decision about the incident in Pabna, which would have negative impact on the civil administration.
Retired secretary and also former adviser to the caretaker government Dhiraj Kumar Nath said the government should seriously deal with the matter as the deputy commissioner of Pabna along with other officials had already expressed their concern over the incident.
'The top administration seem to be indifferent about the attack on field officials in Pabna. The government's development programmes would not be implemented properly if the field officials feel insecure… This will affect law and order as well,' he said.
Former inspector general of police ASM Shahjahan said that the godfathers behind the Pabna incident should be identified and brought to book.
He underscored the need for proper investigation so that the real culprits were punished.
'The authorities should look into whether there was any financial deal behind the attack on the government officials,' Shahjahan, also a retired adviser to the caretaker government, said.
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