Sitting MP seeks cover as ex-MP charges

Narayanganj, June 18 (bdnews24.com) ? The deputy commissioner's office here turned into a battleground on Saturday as a former parliamentarian of the ruling party enraged following a wordy duel charged at the sitting MP, also of the same party.

Argument started between Awami League MP Sarah Begum Kabari and former MP Shamim Osman at a meeting on bus fare on Saturday at the Narayanganj deputy commissioner's office. At one point, Shamim left his seat and rushed angrily towards Kabari.

Kabari later told reporters that Shamim used profanities against her and also tried to assault her physically.

Shamim, however, denied the allegations.

Private televisions showed footages of the incident, where Shamim is seen charging at Kabari and Kabari following the suit.

The meeting was called to discuss a general strike called by a commuters' platform of the district.

'Jatri Adhikar Shangrakkhan Forum' called the half-day strike on June 20 to protest increased bus fare on the Dhaka-Narayanganj route.

Over 60 organisations?political, professional, social and cultural?expressed their support for the strike.

While Kabari and district Awami League president Anwar Hossain took a stance for the strike and its demands, Shamim, who had been invited there by transport company owners, started by questioning the legitimacy of the citizen's bodies behind the strike.

Arguments sparked off and at one stage Shamim left his seat and advanced menacingly at Kabari.

While Anwar Hossain and some others shielded Kabari, yet others came to Shamim's aid. Chaos broke out in the deputy commissioner's office amid television cameras and photographers witnessing and recording the scene.

Deputy commissioner Shamsur Rahman sat out the fracas.

MP Nazrul Islam Babu and superintendent of police Sheikh Nazmul Alam were eventually able to calm everyone down and the meeting continued, but it ended without any decision.

A large number of police and RAB personnel were deployed outside the office when supporters of both leaders gathered there.

bdnews24.com/corr/pd/sh/nir/2345h

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