'BDR men' beat to death Hatia AL leader
Our Correspondent, Noakhali
Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) men reportedly beat an Awami League (AL) leader to death and wounded 30 others at Hatia upazila Tuesday night as they were watching the oath taking ceremony of the advisers on TV. The dead was identified as AL Vice-president of Hatia upazila Abdus Shahid. The injured were admitted to the local clinics. Witnesses said a large number of people gathered at a tea stall in Ahmad Miar Bazar to watch the swearing in of the advisers to the caretaker government on TV around 10:00pm. A team of BDR men led by Upazila Nirbahi Officer of Hatia, Imam Uddin Kabir, reached the spot and charged truncheons indiscriminately. Former legislator of Hatia Mohammad Ali claimed indiscriminate truncheon charge left Abdus Shahid dead on the spot. However, Imam Uddin said the BDR team was going to a nearby bazaar following reports of violence there. He claimed the people at the tea stall scrambled in panic after seeing the headlights of the BDR vehicle. He said Shahid collapsed in shock and died at his home early Wednesday morning. BDR forces were withdrawn from Hatia on Tuesday night.
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