BNP leader shot dead in Tangail

A BNP leader was shot dead by a gang of unidentified criminals while an AL leader was hacked by the supporters of the deceased in retaliation in Tangail town this morning.
The deceased is Rafiqul Islam Faruque, 52, chairman of Dainna union and vice-president of Sadar upazila BNP.
Protesting the killing, Tangail district BNP called a shutdown at Sadar upazila from 6:00am to 2:00pm for today, said district organising secretary Farhad Iqbal.
As news of Faruque's death spread, Faruque's supporters hacked an Awami League leader suspecting his involvement in the killing.
Tara Miah, president of Dainna ward unit Awami League, was admitted to the Tangail General Hospital, sources said.
A group of criminals shot point-blank in the head of Faruque around 6:30am near his rented house at Battala Bazar, said Nazrul Islam, officer-in-charge of Tangail Model Police Station quoting witnesses.
The assailants also stabbed him several times to confirm his death, the OC added.
Locals rushed him to Tangail General Hospital where doctors declared Faruque dead.
Locals said Faruque was a popular chairman and elected for the third time in the union parishad.
Faruque's younger brother Azharul Islam Labu, president of Sadar upazila Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal, alleged that the defeated chairman candidate might have killed his brother by hired criminals.
Police, however, said outlaws of local char areas might have taken part in the killing.