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What sort of killing is this, what sort of horror?
So many murders take place every day. People are killed for so many reasons -- personal enmity, family disputes, business rivalries, political conflicts, turf wars, extortion, and so on. It seems people have no qualms about killing anymore. But how can a human being be killed in this manner?
en.prothomalo.com
What sort of killing is this, what sort of horror?
Rafsan Galib
Updated: 12 Jul 2025, 16: 00
"The criminals did not stop at just killing him. They carried out brutalities on Sohag' body even after he died."Collected from CCTV footage
So many murders take place every day. People are killed for so many reasons -- personal enmity, family disputes, business rivalries, political conflicts, turf wars, extortion, and so on. It seems people have no qualms about killing anymore. But how can a human being be killed in this manner? Does a young, vibrant life have to end in such a gruesome way?
In Dhaka’s Mitford Hospital area, a scrap trader was murdered over extortion demands, syndicate control and turf dominance.
The incident took place on Wednesday evening. It made the news, but perhaps people brushed it off as just another daily occurrence. Then, nearly two days later, CCTV footage of the killing surfaced on social media. And what we saw was a horrifying death, a barbaric, brutal scene of murder.
In one of the most crowded areas of Dhaka, the trader was bludgeoned to death with stones in what seemed like a frenzied celebration. He was beaten, hacked, tortured, stripped and left on the street. Then the killer picked up a large stone and repeatedly smashed his head, making sure of his death. Can such a scene be accepted in any way? What kind of savagery is this? What kind of monstrosity?
So far it has been learned that the trader, identified as Lal Chand Mia alias Md Sohag, had been running a scrap business on Rajani Ghosh Lane for many years. He was also involved in a syndicate dealing in the purchase and sale of old electrical cables. Disputes over control of this syndicate, along with demands for extortion, had led another group to threaten Sohag for several months. As a result, Sohag was brutally murdered on Wednesday evening.
It has emerged that both Sohag and his killers were affiliated with BNP politics. According to many, some of them, including Sohag, had allegedly controlled the syndicate under the patronage of local Awami League goons during the previous Awami League government. After Sheikh Hasina’s fall from power, they shifted allegiance to BNP. However, with the change in power, inner conflict over control of the syndicate erupted among themselves.
This horrifying and savage murder reminds us of Biswajit, the tailor from Old Dhaka, who was hacked to death by Chhatra League activists. That image still haunts us.
Mahmudul Hasan Mohin, accused of being the mastermind behind the murder, is reportedly a candidate for general secretary of the Jubo Dal’s Chawkbazar thana unit. He has been accused of extorting money from vendors on the Mitford Hospital footpath and from chemical traders. There are also allegations of large-scale bribery involving the recruitment of third-class hospital employees. The member-secretary of the Lalbagh thana unit of the Chhatra Dal has also confirmed that Mohin is an active Jubo Dal member. (Daily Jugantor Online, 11 July 2025).
The assailants didn’t stop at just killing Sohag. Even after confirming his death, they continued their brutality on the lifeless body. The bloodied, motionless body was left in the middle of the street, and the killers stood over it in a horrifying frenzy of triumph.
CCTV footage shows that there were many people present at the scene during the murder. Despite the large crowd, Sohag was repeatedly struck with stones and killed in plain sight. No one stepped forward to save him. Locals say that Mohin is a Jubo Dal leader and a powerful figure in the area. Out of fear, no one dared to intervene. However, following the murder, police arrested Mohin and several others accused in the incident.
In July, during the mass uprising, people stood tall and defiant against the armed thugs of the autocratic regime. They did not flinch in the face of bullets. And yet, one year later, the very same people stood by and simply watched a brutal murder unfold, almost as if they were enjoying the spectacle! We say July made people brave, taught them to protest, taught them never to bow before evil forces. Is this evidence of that courage?
This horrifying and savage murder reminds us of Biswajit, the tailor from Old Dhaka, who was hacked to death by Chhatra League activists. That image still haunts us. And now Sohag, has been killed in equally barbaric fashion by Jubo Dal thugs. Will we ever be able to forget him either?
The trauma of the killings carried out by the ousted Sheikh Hasina government during the July mass movement still lingers. And now, in the aftermath of such state-sponsored violence, where are we headed with murders like this? What future awaits a nation gripped by such psychological devastation?
Another murder took place yesterday, Friday, in Daulatpur, Khulna. A former leader of the thana Jubo Dal was shot and had his tendons slashed by assailants. The victim had gone viral on social media a few months ago, wielding a machete during a clash at Khulna University of Engineering and Technology (KUET). Following that incident, he was expelled from Jubo Dal.
This killing, too, has become the subject of political mudslinging.
Some claim he was murdered by members of Jamaat-Shibir for wielding a machete in support of Chhatra Dal during the KUET clash. Others say he was killed over local disputes involving extortion and control of the drug trade. Local police initially suggest the murder stemmed from turf wars. Suspects have been identified, and efforts are underway to verify and arrest them.
Yet another murder attempt yesterday has left us reeling. In Chandpur, right after the Friday prayer, a man slashed an imam and khatib inside the very mosque, leaving them covered in blood. The khatib is a well known religious figure in the locality.
According to local media, the attacker “disliked” the khatib’s sermon. He had therefore entered the mosque earlier, machete in hand, intending to kill him. The assailant claims the khatib had spoken disrespectfully about the Prophet Muhammad (SM).
A few months ago we watched people openly call for murder by branding someone a “blasphemer”, ignoring the laws of the state. What we saw in Chandpur seems to be the fallout of that. No wonder the common devout Muslims are even more outraged.
When people are casually labeled “blasphemer,” threatened and assaulted, does it not tarnish the standing of our religious community and ushers in a perilous future? Will the government remain silent?
One savage incident follows another. If a BNP member is involved, the party expels him. Protests erupt on social media. But what are the state and government doing?
Why is the administration not rushing to the scene? Where are the police? Where are the ministers? Why, after an entire year, can they still not guarantee public safety? Why is no one seen standing beside the victims? Why were police reforms treated as the least important task? How do they run the state while leaving citizens so exposed? Can an administration be managed from the capital by issuing mere “warnings”?
Even after a year, why can the government not ensure people’s security? Why were police reforms pushed to the bottom of the agenda? How do they govern while leaving the public in constant danger? Can policing be run from Dhaka on warnings alone?
And why is BNP content to think its organisational duty ends with expulsions? A hundred murders sprouting from internal feuds prove that expulsions do not impose party discipline. In Raozan thana of Chattogram alone, more than 15 killings have occurred in BNP infighting. Did any delegation from Dhaka visit that upazila? Does the party stand by the bereaved families?
There are many ways to enforce discipline. Is it really possible to maintain order through distant cautions or expulsions? Do BNP leaders grasp how little organisational competence they are showing?
The party’s misdeeds pile up across the country. Most people believe BNP, as the biggest party, is poised to win the next election. Yet even before they take over power, many fear the nation may move from one fascist rule to another. How does BNP intend to dispel that fear?
After the July popular uprising we dreamed of a new politics and a new system of governance. Will that dream remain a far cry?
*Rafsan Galib is editorial assistant, Prothom Alo.
Rafsan Galib
Updated: 12 Jul 2025, 16: 00
"The criminals did not stop at just killing him. They carried out brutalities on Sohag' body even after he died."Collected from CCTV footage
So many murders take place every day. People are killed for so many reasons -- personal enmity, family disputes, business rivalries, political conflicts, turf wars, extortion, and so on. It seems people have no qualms about killing anymore. But how can a human being be killed in this manner? Does a young, vibrant life have to end in such a gruesome way?
In Dhaka’s Mitford Hospital area, a scrap trader was murdered over extortion demands, syndicate control and turf dominance.
The incident took place on Wednesday evening. It made the news, but perhaps people brushed it off as just another daily occurrence. Then, nearly two days later, CCTV footage of the killing surfaced on social media. And what we saw was a horrifying death, a barbaric, brutal scene of murder.
In one of the most crowded areas of Dhaka, the trader was bludgeoned to death with stones in what seemed like a frenzied celebration. He was beaten, hacked, tortured, stripped and left on the street. Then the killer picked up a large stone and repeatedly smashed his head, making sure of his death. Can such a scene be accepted in any way? What kind of savagery is this? What kind of monstrosity?
So far it has been learned that the trader, identified as Lal Chand Mia alias Md Sohag, had been running a scrap business on Rajani Ghosh Lane for many years. He was also involved in a syndicate dealing in the purchase and sale of old electrical cables. Disputes over control of this syndicate, along with demands for extortion, had led another group to threaten Sohag for several months. As a result, Sohag was brutally murdered on Wednesday evening.
It has emerged that both Sohag and his killers were affiliated with BNP politics. According to many, some of them, including Sohag, had allegedly controlled the syndicate under the patronage of local Awami League goons during the previous Awami League government. After Sheikh Hasina’s fall from power, they shifted allegiance to BNP. However, with the change in power, inner conflict over control of the syndicate erupted among themselves.
This horrifying and savage murder reminds us of Biswajit, the tailor from Old Dhaka, who was hacked to death by Chhatra League activists. That image still haunts us.
Mahmudul Hasan Mohin, accused of being the mastermind behind the murder, is reportedly a candidate for general secretary of the Jubo Dal’s Chawkbazar thana unit. He has been accused of extorting money from vendors on the Mitford Hospital footpath and from chemical traders. There are also allegations of large-scale bribery involving the recruitment of third-class hospital employees. The member-secretary of the Lalbagh thana unit of the Chhatra Dal has also confirmed that Mohin is an active Jubo Dal member. (Daily Jugantor Online, 11 July 2025).
The assailants didn’t stop at just killing Sohag. Even after confirming his death, they continued their brutality on the lifeless body. The bloodied, motionless body was left in the middle of the street, and the killers stood over it in a horrifying frenzy of triumph.
CCTV footage shows that there were many people present at the scene during the murder. Despite the large crowd, Sohag was repeatedly struck with stones and killed in plain sight. No one stepped forward to save him. Locals say that Mohin is a Jubo Dal leader and a powerful figure in the area. Out of fear, no one dared to intervene. However, following the murder, police arrested Mohin and several others accused in the incident.
In July, during the mass uprising, people stood tall and defiant against the armed thugs of the autocratic regime. They did not flinch in the face of bullets. And yet, one year later, the very same people stood by and simply watched a brutal murder unfold, almost as if they were enjoying the spectacle! We say July made people brave, taught them to protest, taught them never to bow before evil forces. Is this evidence of that courage?
This horrifying and savage murder reminds us of Biswajit, the tailor from Old Dhaka, who was hacked to death by Chhatra League activists. That image still haunts us. And now Sohag, has been killed in equally barbaric fashion by Jubo Dal thugs. Will we ever be able to forget him either?
The trauma of the killings carried out by the ousted Sheikh Hasina government during the July mass movement still lingers. And now, in the aftermath of such state-sponsored violence, where are we headed with murders like this? What future awaits a nation gripped by such psychological devastation?
Another murder took place yesterday, Friday, in Daulatpur, Khulna. A former leader of the thana Jubo Dal was shot and had his tendons slashed by assailants. The victim had gone viral on social media a few months ago, wielding a machete during a clash at Khulna University of Engineering and Technology (KUET). Following that incident, he was expelled from Jubo Dal.
This killing, too, has become the subject of political mudslinging.
Some claim he was murdered by members of Jamaat-Shibir for wielding a machete in support of Chhatra Dal during the KUET clash. Others say he was killed over local disputes involving extortion and control of the drug trade. Local police initially suggest the murder stemmed from turf wars. Suspects have been identified, and efforts are underway to verify and arrest them.
Yet another murder attempt yesterday has left us reeling. In Chandpur, right after the Friday prayer, a man slashed an imam and khatib inside the very mosque, leaving them covered in blood. The khatib is a well known religious figure in the locality.
According to local media, the attacker “disliked” the khatib’s sermon. He had therefore entered the mosque earlier, machete in hand, intending to kill him. The assailant claims the khatib had spoken disrespectfully about the Prophet Muhammad (SM).
A few months ago we watched people openly call for murder by branding someone a “blasphemer”, ignoring the laws of the state. What we saw in Chandpur seems to be the fallout of that. No wonder the common devout Muslims are even more outraged.
When people are casually labeled “blasphemer,” threatened and assaulted, does it not tarnish the standing of our religious community and ushers in a perilous future? Will the government remain silent?
One savage incident follows another. If a BNP member is involved, the party expels him. Protests erupt on social media. But what are the state and government doing?
Why is the administration not rushing to the scene? Where are the police? Where are the ministers? Why, after an entire year, can they still not guarantee public safety? Why is no one seen standing beside the victims? Why were police reforms treated as the least important task? How do they run the state while leaving citizens so exposed? Can an administration be managed from the capital by issuing mere “warnings”?
Even after a year, why can the government not ensure people’s security? Why were police reforms pushed to the bottom of the agenda? How do they govern while leaving the public in constant danger? Can policing be run from Dhaka on warnings alone?
And why is BNP content to think its organisational duty ends with expulsions? A hundred murders sprouting from internal feuds prove that expulsions do not impose party discipline. In Raozan thana of Chattogram alone, more than 15 killings have occurred in BNP infighting. Did any delegation from Dhaka visit that upazila? Does the party stand by the bereaved families?
There are many ways to enforce discipline. Is it really possible to maintain order through distant cautions or expulsions? Do BNP leaders grasp how little organisational competence they are showing?
The party’s misdeeds pile up across the country. Most people believe BNP, as the biggest party, is poised to win the next election. Yet even before they take over power, many fear the nation may move from one fascist rule to another. How does BNP intend to dispel that fear?
After the July popular uprising we dreamed of a new politics and a new system of governance. Will that dream remain a far cry?
*Rafsan Galib is editorial assistant, Prothom Alo.
