Partymen divided on who is to blame

Abdul Hamid, Rajshahi district BNP vice-president and former chairman of Jhikra Union Council in Bagmara upazila, was murdered in Ghospara in the city on November 9.

Abu Hena was addressing a condolence meeting at Bhabaniganj village in Bagmara.

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He mentioned that the committee of Bagmara upazila BNP was formed unilaterally on September 27, giving rise to rift in the party.

An impartial probe will reveal whether the rift in the party had anything to do with the murder.

"If the incident is not probed properly, the city would be gripped by terrorism soon", Abu Hena said.

Political influence in the probe would be "dangerous for the city's law and order", he warned.

Following Abu Hena's address, Bagmara upazila BNP president Abdul Gafur left the meeting.

However, the city BNP unit at a meeting chaired by its president Saleh Uddin Baby blamed Workers Party leaders here for the murder.

Rajshahi City Corporation Mayor Mizanur Rahman Minu MP and city BNP secretary Shafiqul Haque Milon also addressed the meeting.

Speakers at the meeting claimed that WP Politbureau member Fazleh Hossain Badsha 'controls' underground political activists in the region and demanded his arrest to find clue to the murder.

Badsha and the city unit of WP in separate press statements said the government failed to maintain law and order but the ruling party leaders are blaming opposition parties for this.

Meanwhile, police arrested Khwja Md Abdul Majid, a central leader of WP and Rajshahi district president of Bangladesh Krishak Samity and five of his family members in connection with the murder of Abdul Hamid.

Abdul Majid is chairman of Jhikra Union Council.

In the case filed in connection with Hamid's murder, it has been alleged that Abdul Majid is the Rajshahi 'regional leader' of Purbo Banglar Communist Party.

The five others arrested are Andul Majid's nephews Zahangir Alam Boltu and Rashed Kabir, cousins Zillur Rahman and Mojahar Ali Sardar and Jhikra Union Council member Shukur Ali.

Unidentified persons claiming themselves as members of PBCP through telephones calls at different press clubs in the city claimed responsibility for Abdul Hamid's murder.