Abbas Ali suspended as mayor over Bangabandhu remarks

Abbas Ali, the mayor of Rajshahi’s Katakhali municipality, has been suspended by The government days after his arrest in a digital security case on his derogatory remarks over a mural of Bangabandhu. The Local Government and Rural Development Ministry issued a notification suspending him on Wednesday.

Previously Abbas was served notice seeking his explanations of his remark, but he did not respond to it.

Abbas, who was in his second term as mayor, came under fire after an audio clip of his remarks on Bangabandhu went viral on social media.

"The Katakhali city gate will be built soon but the private contractor has submitted a design of Bangabandhu's mural to be installed at the gate," Abbas was heard saying. "It will be a sin if I allow construction of Bangabandhu's mural... it is not right as per Shariah (Islamic law)."

At least three Digital Security Act cases were filed against him with Rajpara, Boalia, and Chandrima police in Rajshahi. On December 1, the Rapid Action Battalion arrested him from a hotel in Dhaka.

In its notice, the LGRD ministry cited Abbas' absence from work following his arrest, depriving the municipality staff and the common people of his services in the process, as the reason for the suspension.

The Awami League has also removed him from the post of convener as well as from its Rajshahi District Committee after the audio recording surfaced.

Initially, Abbas claimed the audio to be doctored ‘edited,’ but he later confessed on a Facebook Live stream that he made the statements.

MSH/