At least 11 activists of Jamaat-e-Islami and the BNP, including two fake affected persons of Gaibandha sadar upazila, reportedly received financial assistance of TK2.20 lakh from Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Saturday.
The incident came into light after a local Awami League leader sent a letter to the premier through the deputy commissioner informing her about the “inclusion of attackers on the list of victims” of Jamaat-BNP attacks centring January 5 election.
M Khairul Islam, president of AL’s ward three unit of Lakshmipur union, pleaded for the cancellation of cheques of Tk20,000 given to each of them in a letter sent on Sunday .
Hasina distributed cheques at a function at the Circuit House on Saturday afternoon, ranging from Tk20,000-10,000,00 for 72 family members of those killed or injured in the attacks on January 5.
Of them, family members of the 11 Jamaat-BNP activists – of whom two were fake victims – received Tk 20,000 each.
The 11 alleged BNP-Jamaat men are Razu Miah, Feresha, Mozammel Haque and Maidul of Jamaat; Abdul Jalil, Reazul, Chand Miah, Abdul Jalil and Mahabub of the BNP; and Abdur Rashid Master and Wahed Master – who were not affected at all.
Khairul, who filed a case against the local Jamaat-BNP men for the attacks, claimed that the criminals had beaten up the Awami League men and also torched their business establishments in the Khamar Gobindapur area of the union.
Khairul said he and a number of Awami League activists had been injured seriously and were admitted to Gaibandha Sadar Hospital for treatment.
However, to cover up the misdeeds and save the accused from legal action, the BNP-Jamaat supporters had removed goods from their shops and then set the products on fire.
Later, the names of the 11 activists were included by the panel chairman of the union parishad, Abdul Jalil Sarder, who is also a BNP activist, Khairul said.
He said many of the 11 were accused in a case he had filed. He alleged that Panel Chairman Jalil had enlisted their names intentionally in a bid to save them from facing legal measures over the attacks.
When contacted, Jalil claimed that he had not included names of any Jamaat activists. “Names of several BNP men might have been enlisted as their business establishments were vandalised after the election.”
Local Lawmaker Mahabub Ara Begum Gini said she had received a complaint from Khairul and that it was being investigated.
When asked, DC Ehsan-E-Elahi said he had not received the letter as of last night.