A dramatic confrontation unfolded at the Tetulia Upazila Parishad premises in Panchagarh on Monday afternoon when a local woman blocked the path of the Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO), Afroz Shahin Khosru. Demanding the return of alleged bribery money, the woman broadcasted the entire interaction live on her Facebook account. Following the incident, she filed a formal written complaint with the Deputy Commissioner of Panchagarh on Monday evening.
The complainant, Rehena Begum (Urmi), a resident of the Magura area under Tetulia Upazila Sadar Union, alleged that the UNO had accepted 180,000 Taka from her six months ago. The payment was reportedly intended to secure a position for her son in the village police force. She further claimed that she faced numerous threats after demanding a refund upon hearing rumours of the officer’s imminent transfer.
The Nine-Minute Confrontation
The video, lasting nine minutes and thirty-six seconds, shows the UNO walking downstairs from his office towards his vehicle when Rehena approached him. Crying whilst holding up her camera, she shouted that he had promised her son a job and urged him not to lie. When an embedded Ansar security member intervened, she warned him not to seize her phone, stating she was a poor person.
During the recording, the UNO questioned the woman about the specific amount and where the transaction took place. Rehena claimed she handed over the cash inside his office in December. Reaffirming his innocence, the UNO countered that he did not recognize her or her son, accusing her of staging a scene orchestrated by external parties. Rehena responded by asking him to return her money or face legal consequences, stating she had been unable to sleep for days.
Local administrative staff reported that Rehena had been loitering around the complex for an hour before the confrontation occurred as the UNO was leaving for lunch. Officials maintained that she had never been seen visiting the UNO’s office prior to this event.
Divergent Accounts and Community Response
A subsequent visit to Rehena’s home on Tuesday afternoon revealed an empty residence. Neighbours noted that she lives with her two sons, aged 22 and 17, in a tin-shed structure built on land belonging to the Zila Parishad. Speaking to our representative on the condition of anonymity, a neighbour raised doubts about the allegations. The neighbour pointed out that candidates for the village police force require at least an eighth-grade education certificate, which her uneducated son lacks, questioning how a family of their financial standing could raise 180,000 Taka.
However, speaking via mobile phone to our representative, Rehena maintained her stance. She explained that she had initially approached the UNO for a livelihood due to poverty. She claimed that he demanded 300,000 Taka for a chowkidar (watchman) post, prompting her to sell her mother’s land to raise part of the sum. Rehena also expressed fear of returning home, claiming she was interrogated by the Deputy Commissioner’s office for hours and that her younger son had been briefly detained on Monday.
The incident has polarised the local community, sparking demonstrations in support of the bureaucrat. On Tuesday, two separate human chains were formed in Tetulia. The first was organised at 11:00 am by government employees at the Upazila Parishad, followed by an evening rally at 6:30 pm at Tetulbala by local citizens. Both groups denounced the incident as a conspiracy and demanded legal action against Rehena and those backing her.
Dismissing the claims, UNO Afroz Shahin Khosru told our representative that the allegations were entirely fabricated, pointing out the illogical nature of handing over cash without any evidence whilst being tech-savvy enough to stream a live broadcast. He characterised her as a TikTok content creator who had allegedly been used to blackmail individuals previously. Panchagarh Deputy Commissioner Shukria Parveen later confirmed to our representative that an official investigation had been completed, revealing no substance to the woman’s complaints.
