Police have sent back a woman who came to pay respects with flowers at the demolished residence of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman on Dhanmondi road no. 32 in the capital, while taking another person in for questioning.
The woman named Salina Begum, who had come to lay flowers at the demolished house of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman at Dhanmondi 32, had an argument with the police around 9:45 am today, Friday, reports Prothom Alo.
A resident of Agargaon area in the capital, she introduced herself as a member of the Awami League, which is currently banned from political activities.
Salina Begum said, “Today is 15 August. Bangabandhu was killed in this house. This is Bangabandhu’s house. I will lay flowers here anyhow. I’m asking for your help. Please help me.”
Police told her that Dhanmondi 32 was closed for security reasons and no one would be allowed to enter at that time.
At one point during the argument, several local residents present at the scene grabbed the flowers from Salina Begum’s hands and threw them on the ground. Police later put her in a rickshaw and sent her home.
Tamjid Islam, a member of Lalmatia unit of the Chhatra Dal, who was present at the scene, claimed that the woman had come merely to go viral. If she were a true Awami League activist, she would not have come. Even the party’s top leaders are on the run, he said.
Tamjid claimed that the woman repeatedly kept saying, “Hasina did not commit the murders”, which then angered the crowd and led them to throw away her flowers. Eventually, she was persuaded to leave, and no disorder was allowed to occur, he added.
Sub-inspector (SI) at Dhanmondi police station, Imran Hossain said, “A woman came to lay flowers. Considering the situation, we asked her to leave. The situation is under control now.”
After that incident, a man named Azizul Haque also came to Dhanmondi 32 around 12:15 pm to lay flowers there. He identified himself as a rickshaw puller.
Azizul Haque said he is not involved in politics and has simply come out of his love for Bangabandhu. When an agitated crowd assaulted him, police took him away.
Sub-inspector (SI) Solaiman Suman, who was on-duty at Dhanmondi police station, confirmed that Azizul Haque has been taken in by police for questioning.
Police barricades have been seen in place on both sides of the road in front of Bangabandhu’s demolished house at Dhanmondi 32 since early morning today.
No vehicles were allowed on the road in front of the house. A heavy presence of law enforcement members and gatherings of curious onlookers were also noticed there.
In the morning, loud music was played on a sound system at Dhanmondi Lake Park. When asked who had organised for the music to be played, the organisers identified themselves as “general students”.
Police officers at the scene said that security in the Dhanmondi 32 area had been tightened from Thursday night in anticipation of 15 August.
