Zunaid Ahmed Palak has offered an apology over the abduction and torture of an Upazila council chairman candidate allegedly by the state minister’s brother-in-law in Natore’s Singra.

“I am ashamed, sorry and I apologise,” the state minister for ICT said after visiting the candidate, Delwar Hossain, at Rajshahi Medical College Hospital on Friday.

Palak also asked the doctors about Delwar's condition and requested the hospital authorities to give him the best treatment.

Speaking to the journalists later, he said, “I was abroad and returned to the country at 1am. I never thought such an incident could happen in Natore.”

“The prime minister [Sheikh Hasina] is also keeping tabs on the incident. Those involved in the incident will be brought to book, none of them will be exempted.”

A group of people picked up Delwar by a microbus from outside the District Election Officer's office in Natore on Monday afternoon. They left the chairman candidate in front of his house several hours later.

Delwar’s family blamed Lutful Habib Rubel, the brother-in-law of local MP Palak, for the incident. Rubel is also gunning for the chairman’s post in Singra Upazila Parishad polls.

Police arrested two people in connection with the incident.

Rubel is Joint General Secretary of Awami League’s Singra Upazila unit. He served as Sherkole Union Council chairman. He denied allegations of abduction and beating Delwar.

The Election Commission has summoned Rubel over the incident. He has been asked to explain on Monday why his candidacy should not be revoked.

Delwar’s brother filed a case against unnamed people over the incident. One of the arrestees already admitted to his role in the attack, saying they committed the crime on behalf of Rubel, according to police.

Palak said, “I will not deny that Rubel is my relative, But neither he nor anyone else will get extra privileges due to kinship or political reasons. Rather, exemplary measures will be taken with regards to the families of MPs and ministers."

He also vowed organisational action against those in the party who were allegedly involved in the incident.

The Awami League on Thursday said Hasina barred the family members of party MPs and ministers from contesting the upcoming Upazila council polls to keep them ‘free from influence’.

The decision was made to minimise rancour within the party and ensure the elections were participatory, said AFM Bahauddin Nasim, joint general secretary of the ruling party.

The prime minister does not want anyone to ‘vitiate the election environment’ and instructed the party to remain alert and ‘firm’ on the issue, he said.