Shop owner beaten to death over alleged unpaid rent for BNP office in Narayanganj
Narayanganj BNP committee expelled Tota Miah and 3 others this evening for their alleged link to the murder
A shop owner has been brutally beaten to death allegedly by BNP leaders and activists in Narayanganj's Araihazar Upazila after he demanded overdue rent for a party office space.
The incident occurred this morning (30 July) in the Salmodi area of Mahmudpur Union.
The victim, Jahangir Hossain, was the son of late Taleb Ali Bhuiyan from the same area. He was also the assistant general secretary of the Mahmudpur union unit of Jatiyatbadi Matsyajibi Dal.
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The body has been sent to the Narayanganj General (Victoria) Hospital morgue for an autopsy.
According to locals, former general secretary of Mahmudpur Union BNP unit, Tota Miah, rented an office space from Jahangir Hossain in August last year.
This space was reportedly used as the BNP's office of the local ward-7.
At around 11am, Jahangir went to demand Tk10,000 for outstanding rent, which sparked a heated argument between him, Tota Miah, Tota's son, and several others.
The situation escalated, and Jahangir was severely beaten allegedly by the BNP men. He was rescued in critical condition and rushed to the Araihazar Upazila Health Complex, where the on-duty doctor declared him dead upon arrival.
Officer-in-Charge (OC) Khandaker Nasir Uddin of Araihazar Police Station stated, "We have learned that after 5 August last year, Tota Miah rented three shops from Jahangir in Salmodi Bazar with an annual rent agreement of Tk30,000. One of these shops was established as the BNP office."
The OC added that while the rent for the other two shops had been paid, Tota Miah had not paid the rent for the shop housing the local BNP party office.
"Today, around 11am, when Jahangir Hossain went to demand the rent, an altercation broke out between the two parties. At one point, he was beaten," the OC confirmed.
"Jahangir was sent to the hospital, where the on-duty doctor declared him dead. Our operation to arrest those involved in this incident is ongoing."
However, OC Nasir did not specifically confirm the involvement of BNP or its activists in his statement.
Meanwhile, the Narayanganj BNP committee expelled Tota Miah and 3 others this evening for their alleged linked to the murder.
