Dohar (Dhaka) Correspondent

Harunur Rashid alias Harun Master (63), former president of Nayabari Union BNP and a veteran leader of Upazila BNP in Dhaka’s Dohar Upazila, was shot dead by miscreants.

Deceased BNP leader Harun Master was the son of Siraj Uddin of Bahra village.

The incident took place on Wednesday at 6:30 am near the Padma River walkway road adjacent to Bahra Habil Uddin High School in the upazila.

According to locals and police sources, as usual on Wednesday morning after prayers, he went for a walk on the walkway road by the river near his house, when three youths on a motorcycle suddenly started firing. At this time, Harun Master collapsed on the ground. Hearing the sound of gunshots, locals rushed forward, seeing which the miscreants fled on the motorcycle. At that time, locals took him to Dohar Upazila Health Complex where the attending doctor declared him dead.

The deceased Harun Master’s nephew Md. Shahin Alam said that as usual, uncle went out for a walk in the early morning after prayers. At that time, three youths on a motorcycle shot him and left him lying there.

However, none of his family members could confirm why he was killed.

According to several locals who wished to remain anonymous, some days ago he held a press conference with locals and stopped sand extraction from the river. This led to conflicts with influential people. Also, as the Padma River is nearby, every year new land emerges increasing the number of khas lands. All in all, he became an obstacle to the influential people’s path and was deliberately murdered, they said.

Duty doctor at Dohar Upazila Health Complex Dr. Nusrat Tarin said that a total of six bullet marks were found on his head, neck and body.

An Upazila BNP leader, on condition of anonymity, said that for some time there had been divisions within the BNP in Nayabari and Dohar Upazila. Two groups became active. As a result, conflicts were ongoing between them to establish dominance. He requested to investigate whether this murder was carried out to maintain dominance over the Padma River’s natural resources — sand and land — as a consequence of that.

Multiple sources also reported tensions over the local sand business.

On receiving news of the murder, Dohar Police Station OC Md. Hasan Ali visited the spot.