Residents of Nurullaganj Union in Bhanga upazila, Faridpur, held a human chain and protest meeting demanding the trial and removal of village police officer Dulal Sardar from the union council. More than 100 villagers joined the programme outside the union council office on Wednesday afternoon, July 29.

Union council member Jihadul Islam alleged that Sardar had links with local drug traders and that a drug network was harming young people. He demanded exemplary punishment and dismissal. Union council chairman Syed Sahabur said Sardar had been appointed through unethical means by a previous chairman and was assigned to work in Ward No. 2 despite being a resident of Ward No. 1. He also alleged that Sardar neglected union council duties and maintained close ties with drug traders.

Bhanga police arrested Sardar and Asma Akter, the wife of alleged drug trader Roni Sheikh, from a house in Nurullaganj on Monday night with 900 yaba tablets, the report said. It further alleged that Roni and Asma ran a large wholesale and retail drug network across the union with Sardar’s assistance.