Back to back tragedy for a family

Sohel Sarder was a class-IV student in 1998 when his father was gunned down. His eldest brother was killed in 2010 when he was a college student.

Youngest among five brothers, Sohel lost another brother, Sarder Alauddin Mithu, Thursday night.

“We have become habituated to seeing our family members getting killed over the years,” he told The Daily Star yesterday at his house in Damodar of Khulna's Phultala upazila.

“All three murders have been committed in a planned way ... I know very well who the killers are. Everyone knows them. Even law enforcers too know them. But who will arrest them? They all are influential people.”

Mithu, organising secretary of the district BNP and former upazila chairman, was shot dead at his office near his home around 10:00pm Thursday.

A group of five to six men in two motorcycles went to Mithu's office and opened fire, killing him on the spot, said Selim Sarder, the victim's brother.

Mithu's associate, Nowsher Gazi, who was injured in the attack, died of his wounds in Khulna Medical College Hospital around 12:30am. His father-in-law, Syed Salim, was also injured and receiving treatment at the hospital.

A pall of gloom descended at “Chairmanbari”, the house of Mithu and his brothers, following his death.

The victim's wife, Jobayeda Khan Suravi, told this newspaper, “My husband was very popular for his charismatic character. After my father-in-law and brother-in-law had been killed, he was the one who looked after the family and the business. Who will take care of my two children?”

The couple's son, Sami Jubayer, studies in class-VII, and their daughter, Fatema Simi, is sixth grader.

Sources said law enforcers called Mithu a few days ago and asked him to remain careful.

Mithu's brother Raj Sarder said Mithu was buried at their family graveyard. About filing a case, he said they would decide that later.

Contacted, SM Shafiullah, additional superintendent of Khulna police, said they were trying to find the killers. They were taking all possible aspects, including rivalry, establishing supremacy and familial conflict, into consideration to find the motive behind the killing.

Officer-in-charge Asaduzzaman of Fultala Police Station said no case was filed as of last evening.

Mithu's father Abul Kashem Sarder, a former Phultala union parishad chairman, was killed in 1998, and his eldest brother,               Abu Syed Badal, was murdered in 2010.

SIX-HOUR HARTAL IN KHULNA

Protesting the killing, Khulna BNP yesterday called a six-hour hartal across the district for today.

The hartal will be enforced from 6:00am and it will continue until 12:00pm, Nazrul Islam Manzu, president of Khulna city unit BNP, made the announcement at a press conference at the party's local office. A four-day protest programme was also announced.

Condemning the murder, Shafiqul Alom Mona, president of the district unit of BNP, alleged that a poor law and order situation in the upazila had led to the situation.