Jubo League leader hacked to death in Bhola

Abdur Rahim, a leader of the Jubo League, has been hacked to death in Char Fasson, Bhola. The incident occurred around 10 pm on Saturday at the head of Kolerhat road in ward 5 of Rasulpur union under Shashibhushan police station.

The deceased, Abdur Rahim, 45, son of late Akhtaruzzaman from ward 5 of Rasulpur union, was the convener of the Youth League in that ward. The day before his murder, his son was beaten and injured. Local sources said those involved are followers of Nurul Islam Noyon, the winning BNP candidate from the Bhola-4 constituency comprising Manpura and Char Fasson upazilas.

According to police and multiple local sources, most members of Abdur Rahim's family are involved in BNP politics. They are followers of former MP and BNP chairman's adviser Nazim Uddin Alam. However, he did not receive the party nomination for the Bhola-4 constituency in this election. Nurul Islam won the seat as the BNP candidate. There has been long-standing conflict between two factions within the local BNP.

Abdur Rahim's brother Mofizul Islam said, "Everyone in our household follows BNP. The Awami League has filed 17 cases against me. But my younger brother Abdur Rahim liked the Awami League, though he wasn't active. He used to work cutting soil, drive a bullock cart and raise goats to run his family."

According to local and family sources, on the two nights before the election, several local BNP members including Amjad Hossain, Billal Hossain and Samrat forcibly slaughtered and ate two of Abdur Rahim's goats. They are known as followers of BNP candidate Nurul Islam from Bhola-4. When he protested against the goats being eaten, Abdur Rahim's son Amir Hossain was severely beaten last Friday night. His facial bones and jaw were broken. When he was taken to the local hospital, doctors advised sending him to Dhaka. Amir Hossain's wife is currently in Dhaka with her son. When Abdur Rahim cursed the 'goat-eaters' yesterday, he was hacked to death at night.

Abdur Rahim's daughter Bibi Rahima told journalists that her father went to drink tea at a shop at the head of Kolghata road last night. He was returning around 10 pm after drinking tea when he was hacked to death.

Bibi Rahima said, "After he came north of the house, the terrorists struck him twice on the neck, on the right and left shoulder sides, and another blow on the forehead. Father screamed 'Allah'. We all ran from the house. When we arrived, I saw Billal Hossain running down the new road. They were throwing my father into the water hyacinths by the roadside. I wrapped my orna around father's neck and screamed, 'Save my father, take my father to hospital.' No one came. Later, my cousins rescued him and took him to Char Fasson hospital, where the doctor said he had died."

Former office secretary of Char Fasson upazila BNP Kamal Golzar said, "There is no connection between BNP and Awami League in this incident. It happened due to a dispute over drug dealing."

Shashibhushan Police Station Officer-in-Charge Fakhrul Islam said, "Abdur Rahim used to be involved in Awami League politics at one time. This murder occurred over goat-eating and drug dealing. The body has been sent to the morgue for autopsy. Legal action will be taken after investigating the case."