A family’s joy snatched away

Almost a week has passed since the brutal murder of Swechchasebak League leader Masudur Rahman Shuvra. His wife, Tahrima Akter Chumki, is still in shock and cannot stop wailing for her late husband.  

On Saturday night, unidentified assailants hacked Shuvra, secretary of Swechchasebak League's Gouripur upazila unit, to death at the upazila's Pan Mahal area. His two companions were injured in the attack, said police.

"The whole world means nothing to me now," said a sobbing Tahrima. "I never thought I'd see such a day in my life. I'll never be able to feel a moment of relief."

Tahrima married Shuvra around two years ago, and was happily living with her new family. But the criminals snatched that happiness away from her, said Shuvra's aunt Majeda Begum.

Since the incident, Shuvra's parents, Muklesur Rahman Babul and Kaleda Begum, are bed-ridden and sometimes they desperately search for Shuvra, said Sufia Begum, another aunt of the deceased.

Shuvra was grandson of late Abdus Sobhan -- a language veteran and freedom fighter, who was an organiser during the Liberation War, and Awami League (AL) president of Gouripur upazila unit for 35 years. Family sources said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina visited their house during her visit to Gouripur in 1992.

Sadequr Rahman Selim, the victim's uncle, alleged that the mastermind behind the killing is Gouripur Municipality Mayor Syed Rafiqul Islam, who was involved with Jatiya Party in Gouripur.

Rafiqul went to Saudi Arabia following the fall of the Ershad regime. After returning from the middle-eastern country, he was elected as commissioner of Gouripur municipality in 2003, and joined AL in 2011, said Selim, who is former vice-president of Mymensingh Chhatra League district unit.

Demanding immediate arrest of killers and capital punishment, Swechchasebak League and ex-Chhatra League leaders organised protest rallies yesterday.

FOUR ARRESTEES PLACED ON REMAND

Four people arrested in connection with the murder were produced before Mymensingh Chief Judicial Magistrate's Court yesterday, seeking seven-day remand for each, said Md Borhan Uddin, officer-in-charge (OC) of Gouripur Police Station and investigation officer of the case.

The court granted three-day remand for prime accused Riyaduzzaman Riyad, while the others -- Jahangir Alam, Rasel Miah, and Mujibur Rahman -- were placed on two-day remand, the OC said.

They were taken to the office of Detective Branch (DB) of police, he informed.

Earlier, the victim's brother, Abidur Rahman, filed a murder case with Gouripur Police Station against 14 people, including Syed Rafiqul Islam and Riyad, joint convener of BNP Gouripur upazila unit and chairperson of Moilakanda union parishad, he said.

Police so far arrested four accused, including Riyad, while the others are on the run, he added.

Detectives also detained an auto-rickshaw driver from Gouripur, and he was being interrogated at DB office till filing of this report, said OC Shah Kamal Akanda of DB of police in Mymensingh. He did not disclose the detainee's identity.