Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) activists roughed up six officials of Mas-Ud Rumi bridge toll plaza over collection of tolls on Friday, leaving all of them critically injured.
The injured are receiving treatment at Kushtia General Hospital. A video of the incident that has gone viral showed some BCL activists also snatching away money from the toll plaza.
According to eyewitnesses, some leaders and activists of BCL’s Kumarkhali upazila unit were going to Kushtia Government College in Kushtia Sadar on 30-40 motorcycles to attend a programme.
“Once the motorcycles reached the west side of the Mas-Ud Rumi bridge, one of our officials asked them to pay the toll. This angered the BCL activists, which resulted into the beating,” said Shamim Ahmed, Manager of the toll plaza’s contractor company M/S Micro Dynamic.
General Secretary of BCL’s Kushtia district unit Sheikh Hafiz Challenge denied the allegations, saying that it was the toll officials who had swooped on the BCL activists.
“Our activists were in a hurry and toll officials were causing them more delay. At one point, an altercation ensued and they beat up some of our men,” said Challenge.
Officer In-charge (OC) of Kumarkhali Police Station Kamruzzaman Talukder termed the matter as trivial.
“No one has complained yet over the issue. There are multiple CCTV cameras at the toll plaza. Attackers will be identified after analyzing CCTV footage,” said the OC.
