Bagmara AL leader killed allegedly by Jamaat cadres
Bagmara upazila acting president of AL Mokbul Hossain Mridha blamed armed cadres of Jamaat-e-Islami for the murder.
The deceased was identified as Shahadat Ali, 45, a teacher of Jatrapukur Dakhil Madrasa.
He was the convener of AL's election conducting committee of Balia during the December 29 polls, Mokbul added.
The attackers numbering over 15 waylaid Shahadat at around 4:00pm when he was going to Bhawaniganj bazar with his son Emdadul by a motorcycle, locals and police said.
The attackers also clashed with locals who rushed out of their houses to his rescue leaving 20 villagers injured, said locals. Ahad Ali, the victim's elder brother, was also injured in the attack.
Later, the angry mob torched the houses of Seher Amin and his sons Shamsul Islam, Amjad, Amser and Ashaful blaming them for the murder.
Police and Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) members rushed the spot and brought the situation under control.
Two years ago, Seher Amin developed an enmity with Shahadat as the latter joined AL quitting the politics of Jamaat for Seher's link to JMB, said victim's family members and police sources.
"The incident is not political but it was linked to a feud over lands and other disputes." said Rajshahi SP ASM Masum Rabbani adding that Shahadat's body was sent for autopsy.
Over 100 arsonists torched three more houses and damaged houses of seven other people in presence of police at Balia village in Bagmara yesterday allegedly in retaliation for Friday's murder of an Awami League (AL) leader.
Led by Akbar Ali, Maria UP chairman, the arsonists also looted households and cattle from some houses, said witnesses.
The owners of the attacked houses include 15 accused in the case filed with Bagmara police for the murder of AL leader Shahadat Ali.
Local AL blamed Jamaat-e Islami men for the murder saying they were partners in Bangla Bhai led JMB gang's operations in 2004.
Shahadat Ali, also a madrasa teacher, was stabbed to death near his Balia house on Friday. Police arrested suspected JMB man Sayed Ali while five houses were torched by a group over the murder on the same day.
The attacks were launched after the accused went into hiding along with their family members since filing of the case, said police and villagers. Finding none at the houses, angry AL supporters swooped on the houses at around 9am, they said.
The attackers razed to ground the brick-built tin-shed houses of Seher Amin and his sons Shamsul, Amser, Amjad and Ashaful. Then they set afire a portion of the house of Shamsul on the day of the killing.
Yesterday the arsonists marched to the houses of Bahar Uddin and his sons Mozahar, Azahar, Shahar Ali, Ali Hossain and Moksed of Balia village.
After damaging their clay-made houses, they torched three houses of Shahar Ali and Bahar Uddin, said witnesses adding many attackers were seen taking away the households and cattle-heads from the houses.
The rampage continued for nearly three hours but police were silent onlookers, said witnesses.
Nasir Uddin Zubayer, Assistant Superintendent Of Police who was at the scene said quoting villagers "The accused torched their own houses while fleeing away".
Local AL lawmaker Enamul Haque blamed Jamaat-e Islami for the murder and the incidents of arson and said that the evil forces are conspiring to create confusion by setting their houses on fire.
The MP at a protest meeting held at Jatragachhi madrasa ground yesterday afternoon also assured of bringing to book the murderers and the arsonists.
On Saturday, the officer-in-charge of Bagmara Police Station Shahabuddin Khalifa was closed to the police line for neglect to duty, said ASM Masum Rabbani, superintendent of police in Rajshahi. Harun-ur Rashid, Rajshahi Court inspector replaced him as the new OC.
Assistant Superintendent of Police Anwar Zahid and two sub inspectors Abdus Sattar and Emdadul Bashar were also withdrawn from Bagmara PS, said the SP.
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