A Union Parishad (UP) chairman has been suspended from the post of convening committee member of Sonargaon Upazila unit Awami League in Narayanganj for making insulting remarks about Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
"The statement made by Mahbubur Rahman Babul (Lion Babul), the Awami League backed chairman-elect of Bardi Union, at a religious function regarding our honourable Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is unforgivable,” said a press release by Narayanganj district Awami League on Thursday.
Lion Babul became the chairman with the nomination of the party and then got involved in anti-party activities, it said.
District unit AL President Abdul Hai said that Lion Babul had been punished for his indecent statement.
Upazila AL Convener and Upazila Parishad Chairman Shamsul Islam Bhuiyan noted that they had called an emergency meeting of the convening committee for next Saturday.
At the meeting, a proposal would be finalized seeking his expulsion from the party and sent to the central committee.
Babul, on the other hand, claims his statement had been distorted.
On Tuesday, Babul's speech at a waz-mahfil in Paikpara village went viral on social media.
In the video, Mahbubur Babul is heard saying: “I am the magistrate of Bardi Union. If Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina ever comes to Bardi, she too must come to this area with my permission.
“From now on, the administration must work for me. The administration will not respond to anyone’s call. If I say switch off, then everything will stop.”
Babul added that after 1974, no one in Bardi became the chairman without a contest. “You have to maintain your pride. Forget the past.
“I'm not just the chairman, I'm your Babul. Peace will be upheld at Shantir Bazar. If someone from outside causes trouble, break their arms and legs and call me. I will rescue him. Don't call me without breaking their arm or leg. Do not sit with bangles in hand. I have become chairman in my capacity. So I don't care about anyone,” he said.