Islami Andolan leader killed, 'Sifat Bahini' chief among 9 arrested

Police have arrested nine people, including Sheikh Sifat, chief of the youth gang 'Sifat Bahini', in connection with the killing of Bulbul Ahmed, a leader of Islami Jubo Andolan, in Bandar, Narayanganj. The arrest was confirmed by Bandar Police Station Officer-in-Charge Jamal Uddin on Friday (August 21) morning. Among those arrested is Jumman, also known as White Jumman, a member of Sifat Bahini. Police said three of the nine arrestees are women, but the identities of the others have not been disclosed immediately.

Bulbul Ahmed (40) was attacked on Thursday night in the Salehnagar area of Ward No. 21 in Bandar. Members of a local youth gang attacked him with sharp weapons. He was rushed to Narayanganj General Hospital, where doctors declared him dead.

The deceased was the son of Raja Master in the Shahi Mosque area and served as joint secretary of the Bandar Police Station (west) unit of Islami Jubo Andolan. Mufti Mashum Billah, vice-president of Islami Andolan Bangladesh's Narayanganj metropolitan unit, claimed that Bulbul had filed a case against Sifat and his associates over an attack and looting at Bulbul's garage during the anti-discrimination student movement. He claimed the murder was a result of that case.

Locals said Sifat group members attacked Bulbul after finding him alone in the Salehnagar area around 9pm on Thursday. They fled after critically injuring him with sharp weapons. He died on the way to hospital.

Meanwhile, leaders and activists of Islami Jubo Andolan blocked the Dhaka-Chattogram highway in the Madanpur area on Friday morning, protesting the murder and demanding the arrest of those involved. The blockade created a several-kilometre-long tailback on both sides of the highway. The protesters withdrew the blockade around 10:45am after about an hour and a half, said Kachpur Highway Police Station OC Shamim Sheikh.