Bangladesh: BNP-backed councillor candidate murdered after winning polls

Bangladesh Desk:  A BNP-backed candidate who was unofficially elected councillor in a Sirajganj sadar municipal election on Saturday was murdered by his rival group when he brought out victory procession in the evening.

The 45-year-old Md Tariqul Islam Khan succumbed to his stab injuries at a private hospital in Sirajganj town at about 8:15pm.

It was learnt that he was a BNP-backed candidate. Earlier at about 7:30pm, critically injured Tariqul was rushed to the hospital’s emergency department where he died of his multiple stab injuries.

Tariqul Islam Khan was the son of Abdul Quddus Khan of Natun Bhangabari Moholla of the town. He stood for general councilor post from Ward No. 6 under Sirajganj Municipality in the Saturday’s election and won by 85 votes contesting with the election symbol of ‘Pomegranate.’

Meanwhile, a very tense situation and unusual clam have been prevailing in the entire Sirajganj town following the brutal murder.

Sirajganj Sadar Police Station’s officer-in-charge (OC) Bahauddin Faruqi said councilor candidate Tariqul Islam was elected unofficially with the ‘Pomegranate’ symbol which was held on Saturday. Following his victory, his supporters brought out a victory procession in the area just after the evening. At that time, the supporters of the defeated councilor candidate attacked the procession, which resulted in a violent clash between the two rival groups. During the clash, killers repeated stabbed Tariqul on different places of his body. Critically injured Tariqul Islam Khan was rushed to a nearby private hospital where the on-duty doctor pronounced him dead.

OC Bahauddin Faruqi further said police have taken the matter very seriously. Riot police personnel have been deployed to maintain law and order, and prevent any kind of clash in the area.