Teknaf students 'forced to march for MP Badi’

Students at a Cox's Bazar school have allegedly been forced to march to submit a memorandum to the Teknaf administration demanding the release of the local MP, Abdur Rahman Badi.

Locals claim the Awami League MP's supporters are pressing teachers and businessmen to join their agitation for his release.

A Dhaka court sent the Teknaf MP to jail in a case filed by the Anti Corruption Commission on Sunday, prompting his supporters to agitate on the Teknaf-Cox's Bazar road and vandalise vehicles.

Badi is also accused of controlling the trade of Yaba drug in the district.

A day later, teachers and students of Teknaf Pilot High School were seen at a human chain in front of the school.

Later they went to Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Md Shah Mojahid Uddin to submit a memorandum.

Guardians allege Badi's supporters and several members of the school's board forced the students to take part in the programmes.

Badi is the president of the school's management committee.

The school's acting Headmaster Nur Mohammad denied organising the human chain and a march.

He said the students had only approached the UNO with a memorandum at the request of the members of the board.

Asked about other members, he said, "The MP's cousin Yusuf Manu and everyone else was there."

Manu is a member of the Upazila Awami League unit, according to the ruling Awami League’s Teknaf municipal unit general secretary Md Jabed.

The UNO said he did not accept the memorandum.

Several students said the UNO was surprised to see them with a march.

UNO Mojahid Uddin said, "It is not right to accept memorandum from the students as they are forbidden to greet ministers at class time. The students, teachers, and committee members have been asked to come after school."

He said he had advised the school authorities to refrain from such acts in future.

Locals allege Badi's supporters had been pressing businessmen to join their agitation.

Several businessmen at the Teknaf Burmese Market told bdnews24.com that the MP's henchmen had ordered them to down shutters after Sunday evening and threatened to loot their shops otherwise.

BGB and police patrols in the area were strengthened from Monday morning but the BGB-42 Battalion Commander Lt Col Abuzar Al Jahid and UNO Mojahid said it was normal.

"It's to ensure overall safety," the UNO said.