LDP leader Redwan Ahmed lands in jail after shooting at workers of AL fronts

A Cumilla court has sent to jail Redwan Ahmed, secretary-general of the Liberal Democratic Party or LDP, for shooting and injuring two activists of the Awami League’s affiliates.

Three others were also sent to jail for their alleged involvement in the same incident. They are ‘Ali’, 37, Baki Billah, 39, both residents of Chandina, and Redwan’s chauffeur Rezaul Karim, 55.

Judicial Magistrate Abu Bakr Siddique passed the order to send them to jail on Monday night after the incident in the afternoon, said Mojibur Rahman, an inspector of court police.

A person named Kazi Akhlakur Rahman Jewel started a case against 15 people and 20 to 25 unidentified others over the incident.

A former state minister, Redwan said he fired shots from his licenced gun in self-defence after he came under attack in Chandina.

Redwan took shelter at the local police station to save himself from the wrath of the ruling party’s workers. Police detained him there, said Md Foyez Iqbal, senior assistant superintendent of police.

Mahmudul Hasan Sarker Jony, 22, an activist of Bangladesh Chhatra League’s Dhaka University unit, and Nazmul Hossain Nayeem, 28, a worker of Swechchhasebak League, were injured in the shooting.

They were first taken to Chandina Upazila Health Complex and then transferred to Cumilla Medical College Hospital.

Witnesses said tension mounted at Redwan Ahmed College after both LDP and Chhatra League called post-Eid-ul-Fitr get-togethers at the venue. The shooting occurred when Redwan visited the college.

Activists of the ruling Awami League and its affiliates surrounded the police station after he took shelter there.

Redwan told the media the LDP organised the programme in one building of the college while the BCL in another.

But workers of the BCL, Jubo League and Swechchhsebak League attacked him when his car arrived on the campus, he claimed.

“I fired from my licenced shotgun in self-defence,” Redwan said.

The former MP from Chandina said he could not see who were injured in the shooting.

Samirul Khandaker Robi, former organising secretary of the BCL’s local unit, said Redwan arrived on the campus in his car and fled after firing two shots.

M Tanvir Ahmed, additional superintendent of police, said they have evidence Redwan opened fire before the programmes started.

Redwan was elected MP from Cumilla-7 constituency with the BNP’s ticket in 2001. He left the BNP and joined the LDP by the end of the BNP-Jamaat-e-Islami government. The LDP is still a member of the BNP-led 20-Party Alliance.

BNP Secretary-General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir condemned the arrest of Redwan, saying the “attack” on the LDP leader was premeditated and it was carried out on orders from the Awami League’s top leadership.