Political Rivalry: 70-yr-old dies ‘trying to save’ her son
An elderly woman died early yesterday, hours after she "sustained injuries while trying to save her son from some attackers" in the capital's Badda area.
The victim is Rakiya Begum, 70. Her son Alamgir Hossain came under the attack in Beraid on Thursday night over an alleged political rivalry.
Speaking to The Daily Star, Rakiya's grandson Faysal Ahmed said about 30 youths, carrying sticks and sharp weapons, swooped on Alamgir around 11:00pm when he, along with his family members, was attending a neighbour's marriage ceremony.
Hearing her son screaming for help, Rakiya rushed there and tried to save Alamgir.
"She was pleading with the attackers to let her son go. At one stage, an assaulter hit her on the head with a stick, leaving her injured," said Faysal, who was present there.
He alleged that her grandmother way lying on the ground for about half an hour as the attackers would not allow them to take her to a hospital.
Alamgir, 28, was also injured in the attack.
After the youths left the area, Rakiya's family members took her to a local hospital. Doctors there referred her to Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH).
Rakiya was taken to DMCH around 2:00am. Doctors said she was brought dead.
Her family members alleged that the attackers were loyal to local ward councillor Ayub Ansar. They were looking for Alamgir as he worked for Awami League-backed councillor candidate Jahangir Alam in the February 1 polls to Dhaka North City Corporation.
Faysal said his uncle went into hiding after the polling day fearing attack. He came home on Thursday to join the marriage ceremony.
Rakiya was buried at a graveyard in Beraid yesterday after an autopsy was conducted on her body at the morgue of Dhaka Medical College.
The victim's family demanded arrest and exemplary punishment of the attackers.
Parvez Islam, officer-in-charge of Badda Police Station, said Rakiya fell sick while trying to save her son during the attack.
"The family complained that she was beaten up. But we didn't see any injury marks on her body," he said, adding that they would record a case if the family lodged a complaint.
The OC said the attackers were loyal to ward councilor Ayub and Alamgir worked for Jahangir during the city polls. He said the polls-time rivalry led to the attack.
Jahangir, also the general secretary of Badda thana AL, told this correspondent that Alamgir worked for him during the election.
"After Ayub was elected councillor, his men attacked and injured several people who worked for me during the polls," he added.
Despite repeated attempts, this newspaper could not contact Ayub, who was a rebel AL councillor candidate, for comments.
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