Fresh threat to evict Tangail brothel inmates 'at any cost'

Croplands turn into grazing fields: Vast areas remained uncultivated in Sunamganj district during Amon season this year due to scanty rains. The photo was taken from Radhanagar in Derai upazila. PHOTO: STAR

Fourteen people were injured on Saturday when the committee in a big procession moved to evict inmates of the 150 year-old Kandupara brothel in the town and attacked a rally of citizens' body which opposed the evciction without rehabilitation of sex workers.

Yesterday's eviction committee rally, held under police guard, was presided over by its convener and Tangail municipal chairman Jamilur Rahman Miron.

It was addressed by, among others, Hafez Shamsuzzaman, Abdul Jalil, Rafiqul Islam, Nurul Islam, Abdul Hadi, ward commissioner Nurul Alam, Abu Taleb Ansary, Khalilur Rahman, Jatiya Chhatra Samaj general secretary Shah Alam, Hashrat Khan Bhasani, Sajib Islam, and Zahidur Rahman.

They said they will evict inmates of the brothel at any cost as it is a den of drug addicts, criminal and miscreants.

They claimed that leaders of Nagorik Mancha (citizens' body) who opposed the eviction are 'brokers' of sex workers and that they also would be resisted.

The municipal chairman told the rally that a section of local police men led by the Sadar thana Officer-in-Charge are protecting sex workers and house owners in the brothel for their (police) own interest.

He demanded removal of the police officer who led Saturday's police action.

He said the move to evict inmates of the brothel will continue. The eviction committee will hold another rally at the Shaheed Minar on Wednesday and hand over a memorandum to the Deputy Commissioner (DC).

"We will hold procession and rallies every Friday until they are evicted," he said.

Police were deployed at different points in the town as tension mounted. A meeting on law and order will be held at 10am today at of Deputy Commissioner's office, sources said.

On Saturtday, supporters of the eviction committee attacked a rally of Nagorik Mancha at the Shaheed Minar.

The Nagorik Mancha is demanding rehabilitation of the 1200 sex workers before eviction of the 150 year-old Kandupara brothel in the town.

Sources claimed that an infleuntial member of the eviction committee wants to construct a market and an autorickshaw stand at the place of the brothel.