Two people -- one of them reportedly linked to Jatiyatabadi Jubo Dal -- have been arrested in Barishal today in connection with the alleged assault of a real estate company's managing director and coercing him into signing a cheque and several stamp papers.
Acting on a court order, police arrested the accused this afternoon, said Barishal Metropolitan Police Assistant Commissioner Belal Hossain.
He added that the metropolitan police has scheduled a press briefing on the case later in the day.
Mostafizur Rahman Litu, whose brother is president of the city unit of Swechhasebak Dal, and Abul Kalam Azad were arrested this afternoon from the city's Top Ten area after Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate's Court ordered police to register the complaint as a first information report (FIR).
However, the Barishal metropolitan unit of Jubo Dal denies any affiliation with Litu.
The case stems from an incident at the office of Agrani Housing Limited, whose Managing Director Abdul Aziz Hawlader alleged that he was physically assaulted, threatened and compelled to sign six stamp papers and a cheque worth Tk 70 lakh at the company's office on Sadar Road at around 7:30pm Thursday.
According to the complaint filed before the Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate's Court, seven people, including Litu, were named as accused, while another 10 to 15 unidentified individuals were also implicated.
On Thursday, Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate SM Shariyat Ullah directed Kotwali Model Police Station to register the complaint as an FIR, said Court Bench Assistant Rajib Majumdar.
Speaking to reporters today, Abdul Aziz Hawlader said Litu had previously been a business partner in their real estate venture. In 2023, all financial matters between them were settled through the transfer of land against Litu's shares, and a written declaration was executed stating that no dues remained, he claimed.
Despite the settlement, Litu had allegedly continued to demand Tk 1 crore from him for several months. Aziz said he refused to pay, maintaining that all accounts had already been settled.
Aziz further alleged that he immediately informed his bank after the incident, preventing the accused from encashing the cheque.
Attempts to contact Litu for comments were unsuccessful.
However, his brother, Mahbubur Rahman Pintu, said the incident "did not happen in the way it has been portrayed" and suggested speaking directly with Litu for his version of events.
Locals claim that Litu is associated with Jubo Dal. However, at a press conference today, Metropolitan Jubo Dal General Secretary Masud Hasan Mamun said Litu had never held any position in the organisation and was not affiliated with it.
A CCTV video of the incident, which circulated widely on social media since yesterday, appears to show several men confronting Aziz in his office. The footage shows one of the men identified in the complaint restraining him while others asked those present in the room to leave. An office employee who attempted to intervene was also removed from the room.
The video further appears to show stamp papers and a cheque being placed before Aziz while pressure was allegedly exerted on him to sign them. It also appears to show Aziz being slapped during the incident.
