3 KCC councillors slain since '95

Mayor's security beefed up, police given July 20 deadline to arrest Bithar's killers

13 July 2009, 17:00 PM

Staff Correspondent, Khulna

Three councillors of Khulna City Corporation (KCC) have so far been murdered since 1995. They are Moslemuddin Khan, Iktiaruddin Bablu and Shahid Iqbal Bithar. Moslemuddin Khan, councillor of KCC ward no 15 and Sramik League leader, was gunned down by PBCP cadres near Power House under Sonadanga Police Station on February 25, 1995. The extremists bombed councillor of ward no 25 and BNP leader Iktiaruddin Bablu to death near his residence at Banorgati under Sonadanga Police Station on August 22, 1997. Shahid Iqbal Bithar, councillor of ward no 24, was murdered by unidentified assailants at midnight on Sunday. Meanwhile, KCC Mayor Talukder Abdul Khaleque has been provided with tight security following deterioration of law and order. The mayor has given an ultimatum to Khulna Metropolitan Police (KMP) to arrest the killers of Shahid Iqbal Bithar by July 20. “No more time will be given to the law enforcers after the deadline,” he said while addressing the leaders and workers of Awami League at the party office on Sunday night. “Any eyewash investigation and attempt to damage merit of the case by implicating innocent men won't be tolerated, the mayor said sounding a note of warning to the KMP officials. Slain ward councillor and Jubo League leader Shahid Iqbal Bithar was laid to rest at Basupara graveyard yesterday afternoon. Earlier, his namaj-e-janaza was held at Darul Ulum Madrasa ground at Musalmanpara in the City. A large number of people, including Khulna City Mayor Talukder Abdul Khaleque, and leaders of all political parties, professional organisations and officials of civil and police adminstration attended the janaza. Police have so far picked up seven people from different areas under five police stations of Khulna city in connection with the murder of Bithar. The law enforcers refused to disclose the names of the arrestees, saying they were picked up on suspicion, not on specific information, about their involvement in the murder. We are checking and rechecking profiles of the arrestees, said AC of the Detective branch of KMP. We are watching movements of a few influential persons on the basis of information received from various reliable sources, he said. AC Abu Sayem further said police have seized Bithar's cellphones to check call list. Besides, the motorcycle that was carrying him before his death has also been seized as evidence, he added. According to family source, some cadres of an underground party recently demanded a huge amount of money from him, which he refused to pay.