BNP Leader’s Post Sparks Controversy

A Facebook post expressing frustration with party politics by Mostafizur Rahman Mostak, a BNP leader in Khoksa upazila of Kushtia, has triggered controversy over allegations of pressure on police to arrest him. Saidur Rahman, press minister at the Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi, made the allegation in a social media post. Kushtia District Police rejected it as false, while Superintendent of Police Aminul Islam also denied Mostak’s account of a conversation between them.

On Monday afternoon, Mostak wrote on Facebook: “If a person committed a grave sin in a previous life, they become a BNP member in this life.” His post drew attention and prompted a response from Saidur Rahman about an hour later.

Sharing Mostak’s post, Saidur claimed that pressure was being exerted on police to arrest him. He alleged that another BNP leader was behind the pressure.

Saidur alleges pressure to arrest Mostak

According to Saidur, he spoke with Mostak and learned that instructions had allegedly been conveyed through a particular group to the deputy inspector general (DIG) of Khulna Range to arrest him. Saidur claimed that the Kushtia superintendent of police was also under pressure over the matter.

Saidur said Mostak had applied for a fertiliser dealership but did not receive one. Frustrated, Mostak allegedly led party activists in an encirclement of the upazila nirbahi officer’s (UNO) office. He was subsequently accused of providing shelter and support to extremists, according to Saidur’s account.

Saidur wrote that Mostak had been forced to remain in hiding and was distressed that he could not lead a normal life even after the BNP came to power.

In his post, Saidur also criticised what he described as a group of local political figures who had withdrawn from Kushtia politics in the past but had become more assertive after the BNP assumed power.

He wrote: “From speaking with Mostak bhai, I understood that those so-called politicians who had withdrawn from Kushtia politics and lived peacefully in the past have become even more reckless after the BNP came to power. They are the ones damaging the government’s reputation. Yet people like Mostak bhai were among those who fought on the streets. There is no account of how many times he suffered persecution under the Awami League.”

Kushtia police reject the allegation

Kushtia District Police issued a statement on its Facebook page on Monday night, rejecting Saidur’s allegation.

The statement described as false the claim that pressure had been exerted on police to arrest Mostak. It also said that the DIG of Khulna Range and the superintendent of police in Kushtia were not aware of the matter.

The district police said it protested the circulation of what it called false information involving the two senior officers.

Saidur later shared a screenshot of the police statement and issued another post explaining his position. He said his earlier post did not contain his own account but relayed information he had received from Mostafizur Rahman Mostak.

He added that he had no intention of disparaging the police and wanted only to present what he believed to be accurate information. He also clarified that the DIG of Khulna Range was not involved in the alleged incident.

New claims about a meeting at the SP’s office

Saidur said he spoke with Mostak again after seeing the police statement. According to his account, Mostak had visited the Kushtia superintendent of police’s office before publishing his Facebook post.

Saidur claimed that the police chief advised Mostak to resolve a dispute with another BNP leader. According to Saidur, Mostak had been told that pressure was being exerted to have him arrested if the dispute remained unresolved.

Saidur further alleged that a BNP leader visited the police superintendent’s residence on Friday and pressed for Mostak’s arrest. He did not disclose the leader’s name, citing strategic reasons.

He also said Mostak’s visit to the SP’s office could be verified through CCTV footage and mobile phone location data. In his post, Saidur claimed that Mostak’s phone location had indicated the SP’s office and that CCTV footage should also show his presence there.

Mostak expresses concern for his safety

Meanwhile, Mostafizur Rahman Mostak has expressed concern for his personal safety. He alleged that a local BNP leader, who is a former member of parliament, was pressuring police to arrest him.

Mostak claimed that Superintendent of Police Aminul Islam had summoned him to his office on Monday and told him: “Settle the matter with him (the BNP leader). Otherwise, I am under pressure to arrest you.”

In response, Mostak said he told the police chief that he had committed no wrongdoing and would not bow to anyone or accept injustice.

He said: “Look, I have done nothing wrong. So I cannot bow to anyone and accept every injustice. Do whatever you think is appropriate. I have sacrificed everything for the party. Since I have remained here and been actively involved in politics, I applied for a fertiliser licence. If that is considered a wrongdoing, then that is what I have done.”

However, Superintendent of Police Aminul Islam denied Mostak’s account. Asked about the allegation, he said no such conversation or exchange of words had taken place between him and Mostak.

The controversy, which began with a Facebook post expressing frustration over BNP politics in Kushtia, has since developed into conflicting allegations involving a senior diplomat posted in New Delhi, a local party leader and the district police. The claims remain disputed, with the police denying the alleged pressure and the SP rejecting Mostak’s account of their conversation.

//DBTech/SCDR/DSE/FOE//