Similar to the incident of Dhaka Tribune journalist Ariful, innocent people from different areas of the district were frequently captured by law enforcers led by Nazim and sentenced to jail by mobile court. Nazim would subsequently release them in exchange for money.
On February 26, Nazim Uddin raided the house of Khalequzzaman Majnu, a farmer of Panchayetpara of Vitorbond union in Nageshwari upazila to capture him and in the process Nazim and law enforcers under him beat up Khaleq’s family and neighbours.
Majnu described UNB the mistreatments he received that night.
“Law enforcers pulled me out of room after breaking the room. I asked Nazim Uddin what was my crime to be treated this way but he didn’t answer. Instead, he ordered to arrest me,” he told UNB.
Then after going half way to DC office, he (Nazim Uddin) told me whether I have Tk two lakhs or not. He told me that he would spare me if I provide the money,” Majnu added.
Majnu, now on bail, was sentenced six months of jail by Nazim Uddin that night at Kurigram DC office as he failed to give him any money.
Another local of Vitorbond union, Bishwanath Das who is still jailed, was captured and punished in similar fashion as a result of a feud over leasing a jalmahal on February 26.
Paru Bala Das, was speaking at the Kurigram Press Club about the misery of her husband on Sunday.
Biswanath was taken out of his house at around midnight in the same fashion. Nazim Uddin demanded a large sum of money from him as well.
He was sentenced to two years in prison for failing to pay but Biswanath's family has not received any copies of the case till now.
“My husband was beaten up and taken to jail. Even when my two young children were begging to him (Nazim), he kicked them away. He hit me with the boot as well. Even the neighbours were beat up as they arrived to request him not to take my husband away. What will my children feed on if they don’t let him go? ,” her cries echoed in the Press Club.
Former Vitorbond Union Chairman Shafiul Alam Shafi said, “Nazim Uddin harassed many residents of the union in the name of the mobile court. I demand a fair trial of these misdeeds.”
Nazim Uddin was stand released from his duties as Land Commissioner of Cox’s Bazar Sadar Upazila for his involvement in various crimes. A video of him torturing a local elderly named Naku Majhi (62) had went viral on social media during his service.
Nazim Uddin and two other magistrates of Kurigram district administration were withdrawn for their alleged involvement in torturing journalist Ariful Islam Rigan of Dhaka Tribune.
Ariful Islam, district correspondent of online news portal Bangla Tribune, was jailed for one year and fined Tk 50,000 for ‘possessing narcotics’ by a mobile court at the dead of the night.
The local administration claimed that Ariful was arrested with 450ml local liquor and 100g hemp. But Ariful’s wife Mostarima Sardar Nitu claimed that a group of law enforcers entered their home at Charuapara around Friday midnight and took away her husband forcefully without giving any reason.
After getting bail on Sunday, Ariful said he was tortured by the magistrates.