Rajshahi-1 constituency (Godagari and Tanore) lawmaker Omar Faruk Chowdhury accused the Godagari upazila parishad chairman and the upazila nirbahi officer of organising a gathering at the upazila parishad with the alleged intention of killing him.
He made the allegation while speaking to journalists in front of the Godagari upazila parishad building Thursday noon.
Witnesses said that Belal Uddin Sohel, the newly elected chairman of Godagari upazila parishad, arrived at the upazila parishad Thursday noon with several hundred of his followers to assume office.
Omar Faruk, accompanied by his supporters and Godagari UNO Atikul Islam, also arrived at the upazila parishad to attend monthly coordination meeting of the upazila administration.
Before entering the upazila parishad building, the lawmaker, serving his fourth consecutive term, questioned the UNO about the people on the upazila parishad premises. But UNO Atikul Islam did not respond.
Omar Faruk said to the journalists that he had called the UNO twice, asking him to disperse the gathering. 鈥楾his gathering is arranged to kill me. I do not know whether the UNO is involved in this,鈥� he added.
When asked why he brought his supporters to the upazila parishad on the meeting day, he accused the reporter of bias and accepting bribes, saying, 鈥楲isten, your problem is 鈥� you always ask questions by being biased and taking money. This is very bad鈥�.
In response, the journalists surrounded the lawmaker and demanded an apology for his remarks. He eventually left the place with the help of his supporters.
After the meeting, UNO Atikul Islam said that if there was an attempt to kill the lawmaker, the police would investigate and take appropriate action.
鈥楢lso, action will be taken against me if I am found involved in this. However, I will report the matter to my higher officials,鈥� he added.
Contacted, upazila chairman Belal Uddin denied the allegation. He explained that his supporters had come to the upazila parishad to welcome him.
鈥楴o one came to kill the lawmaker. No one even thinks like this,鈥� he added.
In the recent sixth upazila election, Omar Faruk supported the immediate past upazila chairman Jahangir Alam, who was defeated by Belal Uddin by a significant margin.
Earlier, lawmaker Omar Faruk made headlines for various controversial actions, including assaulting a college principal at his party office last year.
