Shop attacked and looted in Gurudaspur after funeral of Chhatra Dal leader Shakil

In Gurudaspur, Natore, a business was attacked, vandalized and looted by people marching after the funeral of Chhatra Dal leader Shakil. After his second funeral ended at 10:30 pm on Tuesday at the Bilchalan Shahid Shamsuzzoha College field in Gurudaspur town, the shop named Ras Urban Style in Chanchkoir Bazar was attacked at around 11 pm. Electricity was off in the town at the time of the attack.

The vandalized and looted shop belongs to Russell, an expatriate living in the United States. He is the son of freedom fighter Rabiul Karim of Khakradah village in Dharabarisha Union of Gurudaspur upazila. The dead man, Shakil Islam, 32, was member secretary of the municipal Chhatra Dal and the son of Rabiul Mistri of Khamarnachkoir Khoyarpara area in the municipality. Police have not confirmed who led the attack.

Several local Jubo Dal and Chhatra Dal sources said Nuruzzaman Mintu, the elder son of Natore-4 MP Abdul Aziz, was arrested over alleged involvement in Shakil's killing, produced before a court on Tuesday afternoon, and placed on three days' remand. The central Jubo Dal has also expelled Mintu from his post as a joint secretary of the organization.

Those sources alleged that Mintu was close to expatriate Russell and that the two had together built an armed gang in Gurudaspur. Local sources said people who attended the funeral vandalized the shop on suspicion that Russell, alongside Mintu, may have been involved in Shakil's killing.

Police and local sources said that on October 14 at around 9 pm, Shakil was attacked by helmet-wearing armed assailants in the Chanchkoir Bazarpara area of Gurudaspur town. The attackers hacked him and fled on motorcycles. He was rescued and admitted to Bangladesh Medical College Hospital in the capital.

After 12 days under treatment there, Shakil died on Monday, October 26, at around 8:30 pm. The next day, on Tuesday at around 3 pm, his first funeral prayer was held in front of the BNP party office at Paltan in the capital. At night, the body was brought to his village home.

Eyewitnesses said thousands of people, including local leaders and activists, attended the second funeral at 10:30 pm on Tuesday at Bilchalan Shahid Shamsuzzoha College field. After it ended, at around 11 pm, a section of those present marched to Chanchkoir Bazar and attacked Russell's Ras Urban Style shop. The attackers were seen looting goods from the shop.

Shakil's father, Rabiul Mistri, said his son was hacked and seriously injured on October 14 and that he filed an attempted murder case at Gurudaspur police station on October 19. He said Russell's name was included in the case statement on the MP's instruction at that time, and was later removed also on the MP's instruction. He said police had not arrested any other offender besides Mintu, and that he believed Russell was also involved in the killing alongside Mintu.

Leaders and activists present at the funeral said that before it began, MP Abdul Aziz was speaking in prayer for Shakil's soul and at one stage announced a donation of Tk 20 lakh to the victim's family. People present then began chanting 'bhua bhua' slogans, and the MP faced anger from those present.

Expressing grief over Shakil's death, Natore-4 MP Abdul Aziz said that even if his child was involved in this unexpected killing, he would be brought to justice. Gurudaspur police station officer-in-charge Abdul Hannan did not answer his mobile phone, so no comment from him was obtained on the attack and vandalism.