A group of four doctors from Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University, Bangladesh was arrested yesterday for what was termed a merciless assault on their colleague, medical officer Nazrul Islam.
Nazrul Islam had taken shelter in the room of Dr. Saiful Islam (no relation), Associate Professor of the Urology. Saiful Islam, fearful of an attack on his colleague for his differing political affiliations, had locked the door. The door proved no match for Doctors Sumon, Apu, Bari and Maruf, who broke through the door. It is then alleged that the four doctors, under the leadership of Dr. Sumon, beat their colleague so severely that he required hospitalization for head injuries. Police were called and rushed to the building where the four doctors were arrested at the scene.
In the words of Dr. Saiful Islam:
I locked Dr Nazrul in my room fearing an attack on him. But the attackers broke open the room and beat him up mercilessly.
Nazrul Islam further claimed that Dr. Apu had been threatening him for some time, had demanded a payment of three lakh Taka ($4300) and that the attack had occurred when he refused to pay.
Earlier in the day, Dr. Nazrul Islam, who supports the BNP (the political party in opposition), claimed that he had been asked to resign citing personal reasons by the country’s Awami League health minister. [The Daily Independent, The Daily Star]
