Political clash claims another life in Dhaka
Thirty-two-year-old furniture trader Shah Alam met a tragic end, leaving his grieving father, 71-year-old freedom fighter Syed Ali, questioning why his son had to pay the ultimate price for political strife.
Syed Ali, who relies on assistance for mobility, appeared at Darus Salam Police Station on Sunday to file a murder case over his son's death.
"It was his blood-soaked body I saw when I pulled the shroud. There's nothing heavier than the loss of a child before a father," Syed Ali expressed, his voice laden with sorrow.
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The conflict escalated during a rally of Awamil League, where the prime minister addressed the crowd. Subsequently, clashes reignited in the Darussalam area, culminating in the attack on Shah Alam, a Swechasebak League activist, around 10:00pm while he was returning home. Shah Alam sustained stab wounds on both thighs.
Doctors declared Shah Alam dead around midnight after he was rushed to Dhaka Medical College Hospital, said Assistant Sub-Inspector Abdul Gafur of Darussalam police station.
The victim's father, Syed Ali, filed a case against 14 named individuals, including local Swechasebak League leader Md Islam and six unidentified persons, said Dhaka Metropolitan Police Darussalam zone assistant commissioner Mofizur Rahman Palash.
Syed Ali said his son, a contender for the presidency of Dhaka North City Ward No. 10 unit of Swechasebak League, had stirred animosity in Islam who is the former president of the ward's Swechasebak League.
He alleged that Islam, along with his associates, launched the fatal attack on Shah Alam.
Local sources and police authorities disclosed a longstanding feud between former Swechchhasebak League central committee member Nabil Khan and former Darussalam Thana unit president Islam, vying for dominance in the area.
Locals report ongoing disputes and clashes between the two groups, centered around control of extortions in kitchen markets, leguna stands, and cable businesses.
A report by the Human Rights Support Society (HRSS) highlights the grim toll of political violence, with 60 lives lost and 6,743 individuals injured in 689 incidents during the first nine months of this year.
