Khulna-4 MP Murshedy tormenting AL members after winning election with party ticket: Rupsha upazila AL president

Following his victory in the Jatiya Sangsad polls with Awami League's nomination, lawmaker for Khulna-4 Abdus Salam Murshedy is now oppressing AL leaders in his constituency in various ways, alleged Rupsha upazila Chairman Md Kamal Uddin Badshah.

The MP is verbally insulting and attacking local AL leaders, taking over their businesses, and appointing people in party posts arbitrarily, Badshah said during a press conference today (26 February).

The Khulna-4 seat comprises all of Rupsha and Terokhada upazilas and two union parishads of Dighalia upazila. Murshedy, a former national footballer, won the seat for the second time in the 12th JS polls beating Mortaza Rashidi Dara, former president of Khulna district unit of Chhatra League and younger brother of former lawmaker Suja, who ran as an independent candidate.

Murshedy was first elected MP for the constituency in 2018 in a by-polls after the seat fell vacant following the death of AL's three-time MP SM Mostafa Rashidi Suja. He won the seat uncontested. 

Apart from being a two-time MP, Murshedy is also the managing director of Envoy Group and a former president of Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA).

"Right after winning the elections, Murshedy began to oppress, abuse, injure supporters of the independent candidate, started looting and taking over their properties and businesses," Rupsha Chairman Badshah alleged on Monday.

The upazila chairman claimed that Murshedy held several views exchange meetings in different unions of the constituency between 15-18 February where he threatened and insulted local AL leaders.

"Some parts of his statements have been posted online. He publicly threatened all supporters of the independent candidate with obscene language. He not only threatened to take away their party posts but also asked people not to greet the leaders who supported the independent candidate.

"He declared the appointment of a new acting president and a general secretary to the posts of Rupsha's Aichgati union Awami League unit violating jurisdiction and responsibility," Badshah also alleged.

Badshah went on that Murshedy accused and insulted local representatives by calling them 'Mir Jafar' and other names.

"At present, most of the dedicated leaders and workers of Awami League of Rupsha upazila are standing in favour of independent candidates, so they are facing the same kind of torture as BNP Jamaat did after 2001."

Badshah urged Prime Minister and AL President Sheikh Hasina to launch an investigation into the allegations and take measures to put a stop to Murshedy's activities. 

Calls to Abdus Salam Murshedy's phone seeking his comment on the allegations went unanswered.