Omor Faruk Chowdhury, the ruling Awami League MP from Rajshahi-1, has allegedly beaten up a college principal.
Selim Reza, principal of Rajabari Degree College, said he has not left home out of shame since Jul 7 after the alleged incident occurred at the office of the MP for Gadagari-Tanore constituency in the city.
Selim also said he is fearing for his security, although he claimed MP Omor “apologised” to him.
The lawmaker could not be reached for comments. He, however, refuted the allegation, according to local media.
Teachers’ leaders condemned the incident while an Awami League leader said they would investigate it if someone lodges a complaint.
Eight principals and vice-principals of the colleges met the MP at his office in Omor Theme Plaza on that night.
One of the people who attended the meeting spoke to bdnews24.com on the condition of anonymity.
He said Omor asked Selim what steps he took after some teachers had allegedly been involved in an indecent discussion about the principal of another college and the wife of an Awami League leader.
Selim replied that he did not know about the incident and would take measures if he got some evidence.
“The MP played something on his phone and asked Principal Selim to listen. The MP then got angry and punched Selim Reza below his left eye. He also delivered several blows and kicks and hit Selim Reza with a hockey stick,” said the person who attended the meeting.
The principal of another college helped Selim out after 15 minutes. Selim returned home after receiving first-aid at orthopaedic expert Sayeed Ahmed’s chamber.
As the news of the assault spread on Tuesday, several reporters visited Selim at his home in Raipara.
He told journalists that a union council chairman close to the MP came to his home on Monday and that the MP apologised to Selim in a WhatsApp conversation on the chairman’s phone.
Another principal, who was present in the meeting with the MP, said he was “utterly shocked”. “From whom will we seek justice?”
Shafiqur Rahman Badsha, president of Rajshahi College Teachers Association, said the MP could have taken administrative steps against Selim had the principal done something wrong. “But an MP cannot beat up a college principal in this manner.”
He said they would announce demonstrations if Selim files a written complaint.
A local newspaper, quoting Omor Faruk, said the MP “just stopped the principals from fighting over a governing committee”.
Anil Kumar Sarker, president of the ruling party’s Rajshahi district unit, said he had heard the same version of the story from the MP.
He also said Selim was preparing to start a case over the incident.
SM Kamal Hossain, an organising secretary of the Awami League, said such an incident is “condemnable” if it really happened. He declined to comment further, adding they would investigate should anyone file a complaint.
