Two siblings nabbed for ‘torturing’ two fishermen in Narayanganj

Police on Tuesday detained two brothers for their alleged involvement in torturing two fishermen at Rupganj upazila of Narayanganj.

The arrestees were Nurul Islam and Monir Hossain, sons of late Lasker Ali Pradhan.

Police arrested them from Charitaluk area of the upazila.

Emdadul Haque, Inspector of Rupganj Police Station (investigation), said, "We will arrest other persons involved with the incident after interrogating both of the arrestees. A case will be lodged in this regard."

The local administration freed the three occupied ponds and handed those over to one of the victims Majnu Chowdhury.

The incident actually came to light when Majnu Chowdhury, one of the victims, filed a written complaint with the upazila administration on November 9.

The complainant said he and another fisherman Mosharraf Hossain were tied to a coconut tree and tortured at Charitaluk area in the upazila on October 10.

A video of the torture went viral one month after the incident took place.

Majnu Chowdhury said some local influential people tortured them in a bid to capture his fish farm.

At one stage of being tortured, Majnu fell ill and was sent to a local clinic. As his condition deteriorated, he was then sent to a hospital in Dhaka for better treatment.

Majnu alleged that after taking treatment for about one month, he returned to the area and went to the police station but they did not register a case. 

He said the alleged perpetrators handed another victim Musharraf, son of Manik in Charitaluk area, over to police along with 20 litre locally made liquor.

They also tried to brandish the victims as thieves, citing that Majnu and Mosharraf had stolen fish from a pond and Mosharraf possessed illegal wine.

Majnu said the accused beat Mosharraf on an allegation of stealing fish but police sent him to court on charges of possessing locally made wine.

In the video captured on a cell phone during the torture on October 10, some locals had been creating pressure on Mosharraf to disclose the names of the "persons involved with stealing fish".   

Mosharraf was seen standing in front of a house, fishing net along with fishes wrapped around his neck. One person was heard prompting him to say that Himel and Majnu Chowdhury were involved with the stealing.   

The man then threatened Mosharraf that if he did not do as they told him he will be beaten up again. Mosharraf then mentioned the two names.

One of the perpetrators was also heard calling a person by name (Nazmul) and requesting him not to upload the video in the social media. The person concerned replied that he has already uploaded it.

After Majnu Chowdhury filed a written complaint to the Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) said, she has ordered the police to take action and also advised the victim to file a case with the police station.

Majnu said, he have been working as the caretaker of the house of Mizanur Rahman.

He further said, after the death of Mizanur Rahman and his wife Meherunnessa, some local influential people have been trying to grab Mizanur's house and they consider him (Majnu) as an obstacle to their plot.

He said since then some local criminals had been harassing him in various ways.

Majnu said he is involved in agriculture and had fish farm. Taking loans from different NGOs, he made three fish small fish farms on six bigha land.

He alleged that three months back the criminals sold fish from his two ponds.  They have issued death threat to him if he went to his ponds.

He alleged that he then informed Bholabo police investigation centre but police did not take any action.

This correspondent contacted the accused, including Sanaullah and Mahbubur Rahman, but they denied to make any comment.

Officer-in-charge of Rupganj Police Station Mahmudul Hasan said he has assigned his official to investigate the allegations, and after action against the perpetrators will be taken.