An Awami League leader allegedly shot two people leaving them severely injured in Kushtia’s Mirpur upazila on Saturday evening in a sequence of post-election violence in Kushtia-2 Constituency (Mirpur-Bheramara). 

The incident took place at Shimulia village of Fulbari union of the upazila around 7pm.

Sources said Joint General Secretary of Mirpur upazila unit Awami League Atahar Ali shot with his licensed pistol. Soon after the incident, police took two people including Atahar into custody for interrogation. 

The injured were identified as Hashem Gazi, 55 of the Shimulia area of Fulbari, and Rezaul Islam (50) of the Bahalbari Satbaria area of the upazila. 

According to different sources, Atahar campaigned for ruling party candidate Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (Jasad) president Hasanul Inu in Kushtia-2 (Mirpur-Bheramara) constituency in the 12th National Parliament election where Kamarul Arefin, general secretary of Mirpur Upazila Awami League won as an independent candidate. 

It is alleged that Atahar was angry after the defeat of AL candidate Hasanul Haq Inu and continued to ‘threaten’ people who voted for the independent candidate. 

According to police and local sources, Atahar suddenly appeared and stormed into a tea shop in Shimulia village on Saturday at about 7: pm with around 30/40 people with him. Many of them were carrying various lethal weapons.

Atahar asked one Hashem Gazi who was in the tea shop to explain, why Hashem Gazi was talking badly about him sitting there. There was an altercation among them over the vote. At one stage, Atahar fired five shots in quick succession with his pistol. Hashem Ghazi and van puller Rezaul received bullets. 

 Atahar left the place with his men immediately after the incident.

The injured were rescued to Kushtia General Hospital. Soon after, they were sifted to Dhaka as their condition was serious. 

Sentu Gazi, nephew of Hashem Gazi, said, their family voted for the truck symbol of Awami League leader Kamarul Arefin. Atahar was angry with them. He threatened to see them.

Awami League leader Atahar Ali’s statement is not available as he is now in police custody.

Additional Superintendent of Police (Administration, Crime and Media) in Kushtia Palash Kanti Nath said that two persons including accused Atahar have been taken into custody.  Police interrogated him and no decision has been taken yet.

He said that additional police have been deployed in the area.

Member of Parliament of Kushtia-2 (Mirpur-Bheramara) constituency Kamarul Arefin said that everything has been cleared. People who worked with him during the election are being tortured on special instructions. 

He complained that Atahar had been threatening people of the area since the election. He said that organizational action will be taken against him.