Staff Correspondent, Narayanganj

A murder case has been filed following the fatal beating of small trader Jahangir over a dispute regarding shop rent at Shalmodi Naya Bazar in Araihazar upazila of Narayanganj. However, even after a full day since the incident, police have yet to arrest any of the accused. Tensions remain high in the area following the killing.

On the night of the incident, the victim’s wife, Selina Begum (46), filed a case with the Araihazar Police Station. The First Information Report (FIR) named nine individuals and also listed 8 to 10 unidentified persons as accused.

The named accused in the case are: Tota Prodhan alias Tota Member (70), Benu Prodhan (75), Alam Prodhan (45), Russel Prodhan (35), Khokon Prodhan (40), Saddam (35), Jahangir Prodhan (40), Hanifa (45), and Hashem (45). All of them are residents of Shalmodi village in Mahmudpur Union.

In response to the incident, the BNP central committee and the Narayanganj district BNP have expelled five members of Mahmudpur Union BNP for their alleged involvement in the murder.

The incident occurred on Wednesday (30 July) morning when Jahangir attempted to install a partition in his own shop at the Shalmodi Bazar. This led to an altercation with a local group affiliated with the BNP. A clash ensued, during which Jahangir was severely beaten. Locals rushed him to the Upazila Health Complex, where doctors declared him dead.

According to the FIR, Tota Member, associated with the BNP’s 'Sumon group', had been occupying three shops owned by Jahangir's family without paying rent for a long time. When Jahangir went to install a partition in his portion of the shop after repeated rent requests were denied, the accused allegedly attacked him with sticks and iron rods, resulting in his death.

The case was filed against nine named individuals including former general secretary of Mahmudpur Union BNP, Tota Prodhan, and 7-8 unidentified persons.

Following the incident, separate notices signed by BNP Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi Ahmed and Narayanganj District BNP Convener Professor Mamun Mahmud announced the expulsion of Tota Prodhan (former general secretary of Mahmudpur Union BNP), Khokon Prodhan (former assistant general secretary of Narayanganj District Chhatra Dal), Russel Prodhan (former ward BNP member), Alam Mia (ward BNP leader), and Saddam Hossain.

According to locals, after August 5th, Tota Member had rented the shop from Jahangir to use as a BNP party office. When Jahangir demanded BDT 10,000 in overdue rent, Tota Member reportedly replied, “This is a BNP office, why would I pay rent?” An argument followed, during which Jahangir pushed Tota. Tota’s followers and sons then allegedly dragged Jahangir into the office and beat him.

When Jahangir became critically injured, some of the accused took him to the Upazila Health Complex, where he was declared dead by doctors.

Despite a full day having passed, police have yet to arrest Tota Member, the prime accused, or any of the others. Many locals believe this murder stemmed from longstanding disputes and power struggles.

Araihazar Police Station OC  Khandaker Nasir Uddin said, “We are actively investigating the case. Efforts to arrest the accused are ongoing.”