The New Nation - Internet Edition

Our Correspondent, Barisal

Agriculture officials and staffs of Barisal Regional Agriculture Extension Department joined in their works on Monday after higher authority assured them to transfer additional director from Barisal following physically assaulting Nikhil Pandey, a sub-assistant agriculture officer by him on Saturday last.

Bazlur Rahman, Habibur Rahman and Syed Zahid Hossain, president, vice president and secretary of agriculture diploma officers association Barisal branch said that we postponed our programmes after higher authority assured us to transfer and punish Safiar Molla, Additional Director of the office for his offence.

Leaders of the association said we postponed our programmes including abstain from work, agitation gathering, hunger strike after Sudhir Ranjan Shil and Ahmed Hasib Molla, two deputy directors of the department negotiated with us and contacting higher officials assured us to transfer Safiar Molla from Barisal immediately.

Safiar Molla, the Additional Director of Barisal regional agriculture extension department denying all allegations against him said it was mispropaganda of the vested quarter.

Not I, but they assaulted me on Saturday demanding posting places according to their choices and after this nascent I am not also interested to stay in Barisal and requested Shamsul Alam, director general of agriculture extension directorate to transfer me from here, Molla added.

If may be mentioned that officials and staffs of Barisal agriculture extension department alleged that that additional director called interview for fixing posting places of newly recruited 63 sub assistant agriculture officials on Saturday morning.

Nikhil Pandey, a sub assistant agriculture officer waiting in queue while entered in the office room of the additional director Molla Safiar to attend the interview before another one coming out from inside, Molla ousted Pandey from his room by kicking and boxing and mercilessly beat and uttered filthy languages to his..

The office staffs rescued Nikhil from the hands of Molla and immediately holding agitation meeting demanded punishment and removal of Molla within 48 hours.

Then the agitated agriculture officials and staffs hold menstruations meeting and gave ultimatum demanding removal and punishment of Molla Safiar within next 48 hours or to go on hard action.

Local agriculture officials said Molla was intoxicated during the incident and the interview was nothing but giving bribe to Molla for better posting places.

He often openly drink alcohol and engaged in immoral and anti-social activities in the office and illegally occupied rest house of the department, they further alleged.

They also handed over a memorandum in this connection to Divisional Commissioner of Barisal on Saturday evening and started abstain from works programme from Sunday.