A local BNP leader of Kabirhat upazila in Noakhali has been accused of snatching away 600 packets of relief supplies from students.
The accused BNP leader is Mohammad Ekram, president of Sundolpur union of the upazila.
During this incident, BNP leader Ekram's followers severely injured a student with a machete and beat another severely, according to the victim students.
However, the Army and a team of police from Kabirhat police station recovered the stolen relief supplies around 9pm on Tuesday.
During the recovery of the supplies, the law enforcement agencies detained one person and took him to the police station.
The detainee, Mohammad Sourav, 18, is the son of Zaher Hossain from Doi Bari in Ward no 7 of Sundolpur Union.
Tasrif-ur Rahman Nihad said that students from the Kalamunsi Bazaar area had collected 600 packets of relief supplies from Dhaka to distribute among local flood victims. Around 3:30pm, they arrived at Kalamunsi Bazaar with the supplies. At that time, Union BNP President Ekram, under various pretenses, seized the supplies and confined them at Sundolpur Union Parishad.
Ekram’s followers, led by Chhatra Dal leader Sohel, attacked the students.
The attackers severely injured one student, Mohammad Mainuddin Akash, 16, with a machete, and beat Nihad, 16, severely.
“Later, when we reported the incident to the police and Army, they arrived at the scene and recovered the supplies."
Regarding the allegations, BNP President of Sundolpur Union, Mohammad Ekram, denied any involvement in the incident, stating: "The law enforcement recovered the supplies and returned them to their rightful owners. They used their people to distribute the supplies. Locally, it was known that there were only 140-150 packets of supplies."
Kabirhat Upazila BNP President Kamrul Huda Chowdhury Liton said: "I have heard about the incident. The accused BNP leader will be expelled from the party. We will take organizational action against him in our party meeting."
Kabirhat police station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Mohammad Humayun Kabir said: "Upon receiving the report, the students' relief supplies were recovered and returned. One person was immediately detained from the scene. Legal action will be taken if the students file a written complaint."