Murder of Ruling Al Leader: Family points the finger at rival faction

The family of slain Swechchasebak League leader Masudur Rahman Shuvra has alleged that a local faction of the ruling party was behind his killing while party leaders blame the BNP for the murder.

Unidentified assailants hacked Shuvra, secretary of Swechchasebak League Gouripur upazila unit, 28, to death in Pan Mahal area in the upazila on Saturday night. Two others were injured in the attack. Shuvra was also the chairman of Bangladesh Rural Development Board's Gouripur unit, said police.

Last night, the victim's brother, Abidur Rahman, filed a murder case with Gouripur Police Station against 14 people, including Awami League leader and Gouripur Municipality Mayor Syed Rafiqul Islam; and BNP leader Riyaduzzaman Riyad.

Md Borhan Uddin, officer-in-charge of the police station, confirmed this. He said they arrested four accused, including Riyad, joint convener of BNP Gouripur upazila unit and also chairman of Moilakanda union parishad. The other accused are on the run.

Quoting locals, Md Kamal Hossain, OC (investigation) of the station, had earlier told this correspondent that Riyad, along with his eight accomplices, attacked Shuvra and his two companions with sharp weapons at a tea stall in Pan Mahal area around 10:30pm on Saturday.

The attackers arrived at the scene by two CNG-run auto-rickshaws and escaped after the incident.

Shuvra's two companions -- Siddiqur Rahman, 45, president of the AL ward-6 unit in Gouripur municipality; and Al Amin, 25, member of Swechchasebak League Gouripur upazila unit -- were injured.

The three were rushed to Mymensingh Medical College Hospital (MMCH) where Shuvra died around 11:15pm on Saturday, said the OC.

Shuvra's uncle Sadequr Rahman Selim alleged that Mayor Rafiqul, also president of the AL Gouripur municipality unit, is the mastermind behind the killing.

Minutes before the attack, a group of men led by Riyad was seen coming out of the mayor's office after a meeting with him, alleged Selim.

He said Shuvra had expressed his wish to contest the upcoming mayoral election in Gouripur municipality and was making preparations for that. This could be the main reason behind the murder.

Selim also alleged that a group of men, loyal to Rafiqul, attacked Shuvra in 2016 in a similar fashion. He was critically injured and admitted to the MMCH.

Shuvra's another uncle Mohammad Morsheduzzaman said that as a young leader, Shuvra was popular which made the mayor anxious about winning the next election. And a plot was hatched to kill him.

Despite repeated attempts, Rafiqul could not be reached for comments. His mobile phone was switched off.

Talking to this correspondent, Md Sohel Rana, president of Swechchasebak League Gouripur upazila unit, said there was a fight between Shuvra and Riyad at a programme last year.

He claimed that the main reason behind the killing could be feud between the two, but a BNP leader would not dare to commit such a murder in Gouripur without backing of ruling party men.

Contacted, Moazzem Hossain Babul, secretary of the AL Mymensingh district unit, said that though there are several factions in the ruling party in Gouripur, none of the factions was behind the murder.

"BNP leaders are behind the killing, and police have already arrested four persons, including BNP leader and UP chairman Riyad."

Asked about the allegations of the victim's family against Rafiqul, he said there has to be a thorough investigation into the killing.

Police arrested Riyad and three others, carrying out drives in different parts of Gouripur upazila early Sunday. They were handed over to the Detective Branch of Police yesterday noon.

The AL and its front organisations held a protest rally at Bangabandhu Chattar in the upazila yesterday, demanding immediate arrest of the killers and their capital punishment.

A group of unruly party activists torched and ransacked several houses, including that of Riyad. Additional police personnel were deployed in the area to avert further untoward incident.