Leaders and activists of Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) beat up employees of a bridge in Kushtia, allegedly for demanding toll from them on Friday.
The incident took place at the toll plaza of the Sayed Mas-Ud Rumi bridge on the Kushtia-Rajbari regional highway.
CCTV footage shows that some leaders and activists of BCL’s Kumarkhali upazila unit were crossing the bridge on 30-40 motorcycles to attend a program.
“Once the motorcycles reached the west side of the bridge, one of our officials asked them to pay the toll. This angered the BCL activists, which resulted in the beating,” said Shamim Ahmed, manager of the toll plaza’s contractor company M/S Micro Dynamic told UNB.
Screengrab from a CCTV footage show a clash between Sayed Mas-Ud Rumi bridge toll plaza employees and Kushtia unit Bangladesh Chhatra League Friday, August 19, 2022When the other officials tried to save the employee who was being assaulted, the BCL activists attacked them as well.
The employees claimed they were attacked by the BCL unit only for asking them to pay the usual toll.
When the clash erupted, locals tried to chase the BCL activists to save the toll plaza employee, they said.
Meanwhile, Kumarkhali College BCL unit president Nazmul Hossain denied the allegations and said: “Our activists were in a hurry, and toll plaza officials were causing them more delay. At one point, an altercation ensued and they beat up some of our men.”
They are being treated at a local hospital, he added.
Officer-in-charge (OC) of Kumarkhali police station Kamruzzaman Talukder said: “Legal actions will be taken after a case is filed.”
