Content creator Tawhid Afridi has been arrested by the CID in connection with a murder case filed at Jatrabari Police Station. However, Rashed Khan, General Secretary of Gono Adhikar Parishad, has strongly claimed that this is a false case. He said that such arrests go against the rule of law and questioned why bigger offenders from Awami League are not being arrested.
Tawhid Afridi Arrested in Murder Case
Police’s Criminal Investigation Department (CID) arrested Touhid Afridi from Banglabazar area of Barisal on Sunday night. He was shown arrested in a murder case filed at Jatrabari Police Station.
Rashed Khan Calls It a False Case
Reacting to the arrest, Rashed Khan wrote on social media on Monday:
“যাত্রাবাড়ী থানা হত্যা মামলায় তৌহিদ আফ্রিদিকে গ্রেফতার করা হয়েছে। এটা নিছক একটা ভুয়া মামলা। ভুয়া মামলায় কেন তাকে গ্রেফতার করতে হবে? সে তেলবাজি করেছে, তেলবাজির মামলায় বা তার বিরুদ্ধে দুর্নীতির কোন অভিযোগ থাকলে সেটির প্রেক্ষিতে গ্রেফতার করতে পারতো।”
Translation: Tawhid Afridi has been arrested in a Jatrabari police station murder case. This is just a false case. Why arrest him in a fake case? If he was involved in flattery or corruption, he could be arrested on those grounds.
Rashed Khan Criticizes Afridi’s Role
Rashed Khan also said he never supported Tawhid Afridi or others like him:
“তৌহিদ আফ্রিদিদের আমি কখনোই পছন্দ করি নাই। এদের তেলবাজি নিয়ে আমি বরাবরই প্রতিবাদ করেছি, বক্তব্যও দিয়েছি। বরাবর বলেছি, এসব তেলবাজরা তরুণদের আইডল হতে পারেনা।”
Translation: I never liked people like Tawhid Afridi. I always protested against their flattery and said they can never be role models for the youth.
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Rule of Law Should Be Ensured
Rashed Khan added that after the July uprising, they had been demanding the rule of law. Arresting someone in a false case goes against this principle. He said:
“যার বিরুদ্ধে যতোটুকু অভিযোগ, সে যতোটুকু অন্যায় করেছে, তাকে ততোটুকুই শাস্তি দিতে হবে।”
Translation: Whoever has committed wrong, should only be punished according to the level of wrongdoing, nothing more.
Why Not Arrest the Real Offenders?
Rashed Khan questioned why influential Awami League leaders are not being arrested despite their involvement in bigger crimes. He said:
“দ্বিতীয় সরাসরি আওয়ামীলীগের পদে থাকা ডামি এমপি বা মন্ত্রীরা কেন গ্রেফতার হচ্ছে না? তৌহিদ আফ্রিদির থেকে তারা বড় অপরাধী। তারা সন্ত্রাস পেলেছে, দুর্নীতি করেছে। শেখ হাসিনার ভ্যানগার্ড হিসেবে কাজ করেছে।”
Translation: Why are dummy MPs and ministers of Awami League not being arrested? They are bigger criminals than Tawhid Afridi. They created terrorism, did corruption, and worked as Sheikh Hasina’s vanguard.
He alleged that some of them are even being given protection by the interim government.
Rashed Khan on His Own Position
Rashed Khan said he had been criticizing these issues for a year and became unpopular among many because of it. But now, according to him, the same critics have started attacking Dr. Muhammad Yunus and his government. He explained:
“আমি আপাতত সরকারের সমালোচনা বন্ধ করেছি যে, স্বার্থে আঘাত লাগায় বা সরকারের সাথে নির্বাচনের রোডম্যাপ নিয়ে বিরোধ তৈরি হওয়ায় আমার সমালোচকদের বিবেক জাগ্রত হয়েছে।”
Translation: For now, I have stopped criticizing the government because my critics seem to have woken up — either because their personal interests were hurt or because they disagreed with the government’s election roadmap.
Source: Rashed Khan
