Netrokona, Sep 01 (V7N) – A university student in Barhatta, Netrokona, was assaulted by drug dealers after he criticized the drug trade on Facebook. The attackers beat him, damaged his two smartphones, and stole the money from his wallet.
 
The victim, Moniruzzaman Khan Piyas, has lodged formal complaints with both the Barhatta police and the local military camp.
 
Moniruzzaman, a third-year Civil Engineering student at the International University of Business Agriculture and Technology (IUBAT), is the son of Md. Rukunuzzaman Khan, a journalist and representative for the Daily Jaijaidin.
 
He has identified Md. Ainal Hock from Mahajanpara in Barhatta as one of the attackers, though he does not know the others involved.
 
Moniruzzaman reported that on August 28, he posted on Facebook denouncing the local drug trade, declaring, “Drug trade will not be tolerated in Barhatta. We, the ordinary students, will not accept it.” On August 31, Ainal Hock and several accomplices assaulted him, destroyed his smartphones, and stole 18,500 Taka from his wallet.
 
He described the attack taking place around 5 PM while he was heading home from the market. Ainal Hock and 5-6 others blocked his way, beat him, and accused him of posting against the drug trade. They stole his money and damaged his phones when he tried to film the incident.
 
Moniruzzaman’s father, journalist Rukunuzzaman, expressed distress, highlighting that despite his son’s efforts against authoritarianism and dedication to the nation, he was attacked for speaking out against drug activities in his own community. He is calling for the immediate arrest of those responsible.
 
The attack has sparked significant outrage on social media, with many demanding the arrest of the perpetrators.
 
Barhatta Police Station’s Officer-in-Charge (OC) Md. Rofiqul Islam, confirmed that a complaint has been filed and two raids have been carried out to capture the suspects, but they have yet to be apprehended. Major Jisanul Haidar from the local military camp also mentioned that the situation is under surveillance.
Efforts to reach the fugitive Ainal Hock have been unsuccessful.
 
END/MAT/SMA/