Natore UP chairman show-caused for beating up farmer calling nat’l hotline

FT ONLINE

A union parishad chairman beat up a farmer for calling 333, the government hotline number for information and assistance, in Lalpurupazila of Natore on Sunday.

The farmer,Shahidul Islam of Angaripara village, filed a general diary with Lalpur Police Station against AbdusSattar, the chairman of Arjanpur-Baramhati union last night.

Meanwhile, the upazilanirbahi officer (UNO) issued a show-cause letter to the chairman and asked him to reply within three days[ending today], our Natore correspondent reports quoting the admin official.

The injured farmer said he called to 333 last Friday for food assistance as some 300 farmers like him have no work right now amidst the nationwide shutdown.

Since the upazila administration directed the chairman to give food assistance to those farmers, Sattar, also the Awami League president of the union, called him to his house, the farmer said.

Still, followers of the chairman are threatening him, he added.

There was some tension over relief distribution and that was mitigated in presence of the UNO and upazila chairman, the UP chairman said.

He also denied beating up the farmer.

The incident was found true after investigation and the accused chairman has been show-caused and asked to reply within today, said UmmulBaninDooti, UNO of Lalpur. 

Action will be taken after he responds, she said.

No settlement was made in this regard, she added refuting the chairman's claim.