Betagi (Barguna) Correspondent

A group of miscreants attacked and vandalized Betagi Municipal office in Barguna. Three people including two officers were injured.

The attack took place on Sunday at around 11:15 am. At that time, the Mayor of the Municipality and the President of Betagi Upazila Awami League, ABM Golam Kabir, was not in the office. The municipal officials-employees were frightened by this incident.

A municipal employee said on condition of anonymity that the incident took place at around 10:30 am. As it was the first working day of the week, not everyone in the office had come to the office. At that time, a group of 15 to 20 miscreants suddenly vandalized the mayor's office on the second floor of the municipal building. They searched for the mayor at this time. But he was not in office then.

When I went to the municipal office on the ground around 1:15 pm, I saw broken door glass lying scattered inside the mayor's office. The attackers vandalized the entrance door, chair table, TV, AC, showcase and nameplate of the mayor's office.

It has been learned that after the fall of the Awami League government in the mass uprising of students on August 5, the top leaders including Betagi Upazila Awami League President and Municipal Mayor ABM Golam Kabir went into hiding.

Meanwhile, on Monday, former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina talked to Jahangir Kabir, General Secretary of Barguna District Awami League, to give directions to the leaders and workers of grassroot level to stay strong and observe National Mourning Day on August 15.

At that time the municipal mayor ABM Golam Kabir was seen there. Two days later on August 14, when the police arrested Jahangir Kabir, the mayor ABM Golam Kabir went into hiding again. It was rumored since Saturday that he would be working at the municipality on Sunday and a source confirmed that he was staying at the municipal building before the attack.

Betagi Municipal Council Mayor and Upazila Awami League President ABM Golam Kabir said that he was staying at the municipal office. Shortly after getting the news, the building was vandalized and looted. BNP people carried out this attack. I strongly condemn such attacks.

Betagi Municipality Executive Engineer Jasim Uddin said that a group of miscreants vandalized the municipal building. A written complaint has already been given and a case will be filed at the police station for information and necessary action.

Of course, the convener of Betagi Upazila BNP. Humayun Kabir said, I heard about the attack on the municipal office. No one from my party is involved in this.

The attack took place due to party conflict within the upazila Awami League. The local Awami League split into two factions after Mayor Golam Kabir took a stand against his party's general secretary during the National Assembly elections and the recently held upazila upazila parishad elections last January. As an expression of this, one of them is trying to blame BNP for causing this vandalism.

Officer-in-charge (OC) of Betagi police station. Mahbubur Rahman said that the attackers fled before the police reached the spot. Legal action will be taken against the guilty if complaint is received.

Betagi Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO). Farooq Ahmed said, I visited the place after hearing the news of the attack in the municipality. It is not known who carried out the attack. But we are investigating.