Gaibandha trader dies under debt pressure; note in his hand names six people

Railway police have recovered the body of Abu Bakkar Siddique Bipul, 52, a tea-leaf trader, in Gaibandha. A note found in his hand blamed six people for his death.

The body was recovered at around 11:30am on Sunday (November 1) from the rail line near the stadium in Gaibandha municipal town. Bipul was the son of the late Abdur Razzak of the Purba Komornoi area.

Railway police and local sources said police recovered the body after receiving the news. A note was found in his hand naming six people and holding them responsible for his death.

According to the note, Bipul had borrowed around Tk 40 lakh from those people at different times and had come under pressure over high interest. As he could not repay, he was being threatened, and the note expressed his fear that his house might be seized that very day. The note also described some of them as usurers.

Family members claimed Bipul had borrowed around Tk 40 lakh at different times from several local moneylenders. In return, the creditors demanded excessive interest and regularly pressured and threatened him. Unable to repay, he had been living in despair and uncertainty.

Abu Zahed Shipul, whose phone number was mentioned in the note as a younger brother, said the deceased was his elder brother and that he had learned of the death through the railway police.

Shipul said legal action would be taken against those named in the note, and that his sister-in-law, the deceased's wife, would file a case as plaintiff.

On the loan, Shipul said the family does not know how much money the lenders are claiming, as they never stated a specific amount. But they would come to the house from time to time and pressure him to repay.

SI Saheb Gani, in-charge of Gaibandha Railway (Balasighat) police, said the body was sent to the Sadar Hospital morgue for autopsy and handed over to the family afterwards. The family has said it will file a case against the accused.

The incident has sparked concern and anger among local people. They allege that usury businesses are spreading across the district behind individuals and various associations. People from different walks of life are being crushed under debt in high-interest traps, and many find no relief even after selling their belongings.

Local people demanded that the allegations of usury, intimidation and forcible property seizure behind the moneylending business be investigated and effective action taken against those responsible.