Anger taken out on train

Narsingdi erupts in fury overnight after murder of its mayor; BNP's Khokon held

An intercity train was set on fire in Narsingdi town yesterday during a hartal enforced by Bangladesh Chhatra League protesting the murder of mayor of the municipality Lokman Hossain.

People protesting the murder of Narsingdi Municipality Mayor Lokman Hossain set intercity train Egaro Sindhu Express on fire in the district town yesterday. Lokman was shot dead on Sardar Road in Narsingdi Tuesday night. Photo: STAR

No reports of casualty were filed in the train fire. Meanwhile, several passengers sustained minor injuries while jumping off the burning train, said Maran Chandra Das, Narsingdi railway station master.

The protestors set ablaze six bogies of Kishoreganj-bound train Egaro Sindhu Express in Chinishpur area of the town around 10:15am, he said, adding that the pickets also barred the fire fighters from reaching the spot.

When a team of Rab-11 rushed to the scene, the protestors hurled brick chips at their vehicle, reports our Narsingdi correspondent.

Lokman Hossain was shot in the Narsingdi town Aawami League office on Sadar Road Tuesday night. He succumbed to his injuries at Dhaka Medical College Hospital around 10:30pm the same night.

Family of the deceased mayor has not yet filed any case in connection with the murder. Talking to The Daily Star Lokman's younger brother Shamim Newaz said they will file a case after discussing with the family members.

In 2008-2009, the government honoured Lokman with gold medal for being the best mayor. Twice he was elected the mayor of Narsingdi municipality.

Meanwhile, police and the Detective Branch (DB) of police arrested Kahirul Kabir Khokon, president of Narsingdi unit BNP, at his Rampura house in the capital yesterday around 3:00am in connection with the murder.

Khokon was taken to Narsingdi under police custody, said Ashrafuzzaman, senior assistant superintendent (public relations) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police.

Protesting the arrest, BNP demanded immediate release of Khokon and claimed that Lokman was killed over an internal feud of the ruling party.

However, senior leaders of the ruling Awami League brushed aside the allegation of internal conflict as the reason behind the killing. “We can't say anything without an investigation, but we identify it as a planned murder,” Mahbubul Alam Hanif, AL joint general secretary, told The Daily Star.

After Lokman's murder, Chhatra League enforced a 72-hour hartal from 6:00am yesterday (Wednesday). But after five hours, local activists of the ruling party student wing postponed the strike till 6:00pm.

Howerver, Chhatra League yesterday called of the hartal following the prime minister's assurance of arresting the perpetrators as soon as possible. On behalf of the prime minister, AL Joint Secretary General Mahbub-ul-Alam Hanif conveyed the message to tens of thousands of people gathered to attend Lokman's namaz-e-janaza at Mosleuddin Bhuiyan Stadium around 5:00pm.

“The killers will be tried in the speedy trial,” Hanif said on behalf of the prime minister.

Hanif was accompanied by four other AL leaders. After the namaz-e-janaza they visited Lokman's Bashail home to console the bereaved family. Talking to The Daily Star Hanif said, “We have asked law enforcement agencies to arrest the killers irrespective to their political affiliation.”

Another namaz-e-janaza was arranged for Lokman at the poura eidgah maidan. Agitated people burned tyres and barricaded different roads in Narsingdi by piling up logs.

About 12:15am yesterday, Lokman's body was taken to his home, where his party leaders and activists gathered to pay their final tribute. He was buried at the poura graveyard. Lokman established the graveyard in 2008.

Earlier in the morning, leaders and activists of Awami League and its associate bodies brought out separate processions in the town.

The road barricades during the hartal caused disruption in vehicular movement on Dhaka-Sylhet highway. Vehicles on the highway remained suspended for 14 hours till it resumed in the afternoon. Many of the Dhaka-bound buses from Sylhet took detour at Comilla to reach the capital. Vehicular movement came to normalcy around 10:00pm.

Meanwhile, train communications on three routes -- Dhaka-Kishoreganj, Dhaka-Chittagong and Dhaka-Noakhali -- remained suspended since 10:00pm Tuesday. The service on the routes resumed yesterday around 5:00am till it was disrupted again by torching of the train in Narsingdi town. Finally the train service resume around 8:00pm yesterday.

Akkasuddin Bhuiyan, Narsingdi superintendent of police, said additional contingents of police, DB and Rab have been deployed at different strategic points of the district to fend off further untoward incidents.

MH Nuruzzaman, additional deputy inspector of Dhaka range, and Lt Col Mostafa Kamal, additional DIG of Rab-11, reached the district Tuesday night after hearing the news of Lokman's death.

Mayors declare work abstention, human chain

The mayors and staff of municipalities across the country will observe work abstention for an hour and form human chains today in protest of the killing of Lokman Hossain.

Prof Shamim Al Raji, secretary general of Municipal Association of Bangladesh, announced the programme at a press conference in Natore Press Club yesterday afternoon.

According to the schedule, the work abstention will begin at 4:00pm while human chains will be formed for half-an-hour at every municipality from 10:00am, reports our Natore correspondent.

Besides, black flags will be hoisted at municipality offices and mourners will wear black badges in memory of the slain mayor.

The association demanded immediate arrests and punishment of the killers and threatened to go for a tougher movement after the Eid-ul-Azha if their demands are not met.


Source: The Daily Star