Strike, violence over killing of AL leader
Criminals killed a ward-level Awami League leader in the city yesterday, sparking violent protests by his supporters. The trouble saw transport workers enforce an indefinite strike in the division in the morning and postpone it in the afternoon.
Witnesses said Imran Hossain, 35, of the city's Khasbagh area was found lying unconscious on Rangpur-Kurigram highway at Satmatha intersection around 5:00am.
Locals sent him to Rangpur Medical College Hospital (RMCH) where doctors declared him dead. Imran was the joint secretary of ward-30 unit AL. He recently joined the AL from Rangpur city unit Jubo League.
Md Abdul Quader Jilani, officer in-charge of Rangpur Kotwali Police Station, said Imran was stabbed to death on Monday night and his body was abandoned at Satmatha intersection. Hearing about the murder, supporters of Imran attacked the house of MA Majid, general secretary of the Rangpur district unit Sarak Paribahan Sramik Federation, in the same area around 7:00am, suspecting his involvement in the crime. The attackers ransacked the house and beat up Majid's parents.
Majid is also the labour affairs secretary of Rangpur city unit AL and the general secretary of the Rangpur divisional unit Sarak Paribahan Sramik Federation.
The agitators torched the branch office of the federation, three buses, three motorcycles and a battery-run auto-rickshaw in the area.
Majid complained the attackers vandalised the office of his nephew Ashraful Alam, joint convener of Rangpur city unit Jubo League.
Protesters also beat up Ehsanul Haque Sumon, videographer of Channel i, and damaged his camera while he was covering the incident, said witnesses.
Police charged baton on the troublemakers and fired six tear gas shells to quell the violent supporters of Imran, added the OC.
Around 10:00am, transport workers' federation announced an indefinite strike in eight districts of Rangpur division protesting the attack on its leader's house and its branch office.
Contacted, Jubo League city unit convener Sirajul Manir Bashar said the killing might be the outcome of a feud between Imran and Majid. He claimed that Imran was not killed over any intra-party feud.
Backed by Rangpur Motor Owners Association, Imran had a long-standing conflict with Rangpur Sarak Paribahan Sramik Federation over collecting tolls illegally in different areas of the district, said transport workers.
Majid, however, denied any link of the federation with the killing.
An autopsy was carried out on the victim's body at the RMCH morgue. Police handed over Imran's body to his family members around 5:00pm.
No murder case was filed with the police station in this connection till filing of the report last night.
TRANSPORT STRIKE POSTPONED
Speaking at a press conference at his house in the afternoon, MA Majid, general secretary of the Rangpur district unit Sarak Paribahan Sramik Federation, said they postponed the strike for 72 hours as the Junior School Certificate and Junior Dakhil Certificate exams are underway.
He, however, threatened to resume the strike at 5:00pm on Friday if the attackers were not detained by then.
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