Fear prevails among locals in Ujirpur

Fear is prevailing among the locals, especially minority Hindu community, after the brutal murder of Biswajit Haldar Nantu, chairman of Jalla Union Parishad (UP) in Ujirpur upazila under the district 11 days ago.

Demanding arrest and punishment of the killers and plotters through speedy trial, local people have continued programmes including procession, human chain and strike.

Criminals shot dead Nantu, also a local Awami League (AL) leader, at his shop Dishari Bostraloy at Karfa Bazar of the union, around 8:15pm on September 21. His associate Nihar Bain was also injured in the attack.

Nantu's father Shuklal Haldar lodged a murder case against 32 people with Ujirpur Police Station.

Police arrested eight of the accused and two others as suspect, said Ujirpur Police Station Officer in Charge Shishir Kumar Pal.

Police thinks Nantu's anti-drug role and rivalry for dominion in the region including new competition for UP chairmanship may have instigated the killing.

Family members of Nantu said drug peddlers gave him death threat and he filed a general diary about it on September 3 but police remained inactive.

Saiful Islam, Barishal superintendent of police, said, “Ten people have already been arrested in connection with the killing of Nantu and drives are on to arrest other accused. We have come to know that the criminal group arranged a meeting two months ago and professional killers were used for the murder.”

Union AL leader Nazrul Islam Bachchu demanded setting up of a permanent police post in the area. 

The area, once a roaming ground of ultra-leftist Sarbahara activists, earlier saw killing of several public representatives and political activists including UP chairman Aboni Baroi, also a former Sarbahara leader, Workers Party leader Babu Lal Shil and Sarbahara leader Kamrul Islam during the last several years.

Mysteries behind the murders have not been unearthed and trials of the murder cases are yet to be complete.