In Bangladesh, a Hindu businessman was shot dead in public by unidentified assailants in Monirampur upazila of Jessore on Monday evening, triggering panic in the area and raising fresh concerns over law and order ahead of the elections.
The victim was identified as Rana Kanti Bairagi (45) alias Rana Pratap, son of Tushar Kanti Bairagi of Arua village in neighbouring Keshabpur upazila. He owned an ice-making factory at Kapalia Bazar, where the incident took place around 5:45 pm on January 5. Rana Pratap also served as the acting editor of Narail-based daily BD Khobor.
According to police and local sources, Rana Pratap was present at Kopalia Bazar in the afternoon when a group of miscreants suddenly opened fire on him. He collapsed on the spot after being shot and died from excessive bleeding before locals could come to his aid. Following the killing, fear and panic spread across Kapalia Bazar and nearby areas.
Manirampur Police Station Officer-in-Charge Rajiullah Khan said the body was recovered and sent to the Jessore General Hospital morgue for post-mortem examination. He added that police are investigating the incident and efforts are underway to identify and arrest those involved.
Local Union Parishad Chairman Akhter Faruk Mintu said Rana had been running the ice factory at Kopalia Bazar for about two years. Police sources said Rana Pratap had previously been a charge-sheeted accused in the murder case of former labour leader Oliar Rahman of Abhaynagar upazila.
However, Abul Kashem, news editor of BD Khobor, claimed that Rana had been acquitted in those cases. The motive behind the killing remains unclear. With multiple killings reported in a short span, residents of Jessore say a sudden deterioration in law and order has created widespread fear ahead of the upcoming elections, local media reported.
In Bangladesh, a Hindu woman has alleged that she was gang-raped, tied to a tree and brutally tortured in Kaliganj Upazila of Jhenaidah district.
According to Police the victim, a widow, also claimed that her hair was cut and a video of the abuse was recorded and shared on social media. The Police said the woman filed a case with Kaliganj Police Station on January 5, naming four people, two men and two women, as accused.
One of the accused, Hasan, 45, has been arrested, while efforts are underway to detain the remaining suspects. The others accused have been identified as Shahinur Islam, 55, Rupali Khatun, 30, and Mosammat Mukta, 25, all residents of Arpara village under the upazila headquarters.
Officer-in-Charge Md Jellal Hossain said the incident took place on December 31, but the complaint was filed later as the victim was undergoing treatment in the hospital. “The woman was rescued in a critically injured condition and admitted to the hospital. One accused has been arrested and police are continuing the investigation,” he said.
According to the complaint and police accounts, the woman lives in her village home with her 10-year-old son. On the evening of the incident, two men who were initially believed to be her relatives visited her house. At that time, the accused allegedly forced their way into the house, locked the two relatives in one room and took the woman to another room, where she was raped.
The woman further alleged that the accused later dragged her and the two relatives outside, tied them to a tree, beat her, cut her hair and recorded a video of the torture, accusing her of immoral activities. Local residents later rescued her and took her to Jhenaidah General Hospital, local media reported.
Speaking to reporters, the victim claimed that one of the accused had been making indecent advances and demanding money from her since she bought the house around two years ago.
Inspector (Investigation) Mofazzel Haque said the accused forcibly entered the woman’s house and subjected her to inhuman torture. Police said investigations are ongoing and legal action will be taken against all those involved, local media reported.
