Union member among 3 held over murder

Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) has arrested three people, including a newly-elected union member, in connection with the murder case of Farid Uddin, who was hacked to death by miscreants at Barakhewor village in Sylhet's Kanaighat upazila on January 31.

The arrestees are local union member Nazim Uddin, and his associates Kawsar Ahmed and Mostak Ahmed.

Lt Col Abdur Rahman, commanding officer of Rab-9, at a press briefing yesterday afternoon, said, "Nazim was arrested from Moulvibazar's Sherpur upazila, while his associates Kawsar and Mostak were held from different areas of Sylhet city on Thursday."

Quoting arrestees, he said, "Farid and Nazim were in two influential groups of the area and were involved in a long-standing feud."

"After Nazim was elected a member in the union parishad, the feud intensified, and recently, Farid was threatened by Nazim's group."

"On January 31 around 3:00pm, two masked miscreants attacked Farid with sharp weapons while he was returning home on a motorcycle. The attackers chopped off one of his legs and left the place."

"Farid then died of excessive bleeding," the Rab official said, adding that Nazim planned the murder, and he was staying in Sylhet city.

On February 2, Farid's father filed a case with Kanaighat Police Station, accusing seven people including Nazim.