Mohammad Saikat, president of the Bangladesh Jatiotabadi Tati Dal’s Burirchar Union unit in Noakhali’s Hatiya upazila, has been expelled for allegedly providing shelter to fugitive Awami League leader Alaudddin Bedan at his home.

District Tati Dal member secretary Advocate Morshed Alam Nipu confirmed the matter on Friday (August 1).

The decision was made official through a notice signed by district convenor Iqbal Karim Sohel and member secretary Nipu on Thursday night (July 31).

Saikat, son of Md Jashim of Mozu Majhi Chairman Bari in Burirchar Union, reportedly gave refuge to Alaudddin Bedan, president of the Awami League’s Sandwip upazila unit in Chattogram and his maternal uncle. Bedan was arrested early Thursday from Saikat’s house in Jorkhali village with 10 crude bombs, on suspicion of planning sabotage.

The expulsion notice stated that Saikat violated party rules by harbouring a fugitive. The south unit of Hatiya upazila Tati Dal was also warned for failure to perform its organisational duties.

In response, Saikat said, “I’m primarily a businessman and mostly stay at my shop. I later heard he (Bedan) came to our house seven or eight days ago and was staying in another room. None of us knew he was there. If we had known, we would have informed the police.”

District Tati Dal member secretary Morshed Alam Nipu stated that Saikat was expelled for facilitating the hiding of a fugitive political figure, which undermines the integrity of the organisation.

MSK/