Vendor beaten to death for ‘skipping rally’

A street vendor has been beaten to death in the capital's Mirpur for not attending a rally organised by the Jubo League in the area, alleged family members and locals.

Several people beat Hafizur Rahman, 27, indiscriminately around 6:30pm on Monday in front of his cart, said witnesses.

As he fell unconscious, locals rushed him to a local hospital and then to Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College, where doctors declared him dead.

Hafizur used to sell chicken fries from his cart on Folpatty Road near Mirpur-10 roundabout.

"Some Awami League men beat my brother to death as he did not join a rally as per their instruction. Hafizur assured them that he would join the rally but instead opened his cart for business," the victim's elder brother Shafiqul Islam told The Daily Star.

Shafiqul also claimed that most who run makeshift shops or carts on the pavement are forced to attend programmes of the AL and its associate bodies.

This newspaper talked to at least four locals who corroborated Shafiqul's claim, requesting anonymity. They, however, said that the rally was organised by Jubo League.

Police, however, allegedly made the victim's 19-year-old younger brother Md Sajib Mia to file a case with a different narrative.

According to the case statement, Hafizur was beaten by Asaduzzaman Chayon, Md Tareq, and three to four others following a brawl.

The brawl ensued after the victim asked Chayon, Tareq and their associates to change a torn Tk 100 note that they gave him to pay for chicken fries. After the beating, one Munna asked the attackers to leave the spot, reads the case statement.

When asked about the statement he made in the case copy, the complainant, Sajib, said, "Police wrote the case copy and asked me to sign, which I did. I did not even read what was written in the case."

Police arrested Chayon on Monday night.

"It is mandatory for every pavement vendor to attend Awami League processions and rallies. My brother used to attend them sometimes, other times, he would avoid them," said Sajib.

Asked about the allegations made by Shafiqul and the witnesses, OC Mohammad Mohsin of Mirpur Police Station said, "The case has been filed after receiving firsthand information from the complainant and the detained accused. The facts will be uncovered during the investigation."

About the complainant's claim that he just signed the case copy as asked by police, the OC insisted that the case was filed based on the complainant's statement.

"After any incident, many people provide many versions of the event," he added.

Locals said Chayon and Tareq are associates of local leaders of pro-ruling party bodies and used to collect tolls from street vendors.

Contacted, Shafiqul Islam Akher, joint general secretary of local ward AL, said those who are responsible for killing Hafizur Rahman have no connection with him.

"There was a Jubo League rally at Mirpur-11. I heard that Hafizur was beaten by the accused as he did not attend the meeting," he added.