Lakshmipur:
The family has been waiting for Iqbal Mahmud Jewel (37), the joint general secretary of Lakshmipur District Jubo Dal, for 4 years. He has been missing since December 12, 2013.
The family is not sure whether he is alive or dead. In such a reality, even if he is dead, the family members want to get Jewel's body back so that they can keep the last trace of him as a memory.
According to the family and the party, on December 12, 2013, during the BNP-Jamaat blockade, Lakshmipur District BNP General Secretary Shahabuddin Sabu was shot in the leg and arrested.
As a result, members of RAB-11 attacked party leaders and activists in Chawk Bazar, Laxmipur. During this, Jubo Dal leader Iqbal Mahmud Jewel was shot.
Later, RAB members picked him up in their car while he was still shot. At that time, local BNP leader Mahbubur Rahman (45), Shibir activist Shihab Uddin (15) and Jubo Dal activist Sumon (35) were killed and several leaders and activists were shot.
At one stage, RAB members were blocked on the road in the District Police Lines area. Then, additional RAB arrived from Dhaka by helicopter with ammunition and rescued the blocked people.
Talking to family members, it was learned that for the past 4 years, his wife Monowara Begum, his college-going daughter Tashia Mahmud Nahadi, his school-going daughter Tashia Mahmud Taha, and his son Motaher bin Mahmud Labib have been searching for Jewel. The children believe that one day their father will return. And the wife is crying for her husband's return.
Meanwhile, a memorial meeting and prayer meeting was organized by Lakshmipur District BNP and its affiliates in memory of the leaders and activists killed and injured on December 12. The party's central, district and senior leaders, as well as family members of the affected leaders and activists, will be present there.
Jewel's wife Monowara Begum said, "When people die, the grave becomes a memory. But my husband doesn't even have that grave. I have to cry secretly while trying to console my children. I am such an unfortunate mother, I don't have the words to console my children."
District BNP General Secretary Shahabuddin Sabu said, "This is a dark chapter. I was unjustly shot in the leg that day. On the contrary, now I have to appear in court in a case filed by RAB. RAB has taken away Jewel's body after killing him. His family is still waiting."
When asked about this, Shahid Uddin Chowdhury Annie, the central BNP's publicity secretary and former MP from Lakshmipur-3 (Sadar) constituency, said, "Our leaders and workers have been shot dead and maimed in a heinous manner. The Awami League government will not investigate or prosecute this incident. If BNP comes to power, those involved will be prosecuted through a fair investigation."
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