UP member shot dead in Noakhali’s Hatia

A Union Parishad member was shot dead in Noakhali's Hatia early today.

Deceased Rabindra Chandra Das (48) was a member of Char Ishwar Ward-3 and a member of the Awami League upazila unit's executive committee.

He was also a candidate for UP elections to be held on June 21.    

Locals said miscreants opened fire when a motorcycle carrying Rabindra Chandra and Al Amin, president of upazila Sramik League, reached the main road of Char Ishwar around 2:00 am.  

The miscreants shot Rabindra Chandra and later attacked him with a sharp weapon, Al Amin said.

Rabindra Chandra succumbed to his injuries after he was brought to Hatia Upazila Health Complex around 3:10 am, Dr Nazim Uddin, who was on duty, confirmed.

Rashed Uddin, a UP member of Char Ishwar Ward-6, said Rabindra Chandra had a conflict with the newly elected Upazila chairman Abdul Halim Azad. A total of 11 UP members submitted a written complaint against the chairman recently.

Since then, the chairman was threatening Rabindra Chandra. He was murdered over the rivalry, UP member Rashed Uddin claimed.

Contacted, Chairman Abdul Halim denied the allegation, saying that he is now in Dhaka.

"My family and I are not involved with the murder," he said, adding that a group with vested interests is trying to frame him in the case.

Abul Khayer, officer-in-charge of Hatia Police Station, confirmed the incident, saying that seven people including Rabindra Chandra on three motorcycles were returning from the Bangabazar area when the incident occurred.

The OC said that six of Rabindra Chandra's companions fled the scene soon after the incident.

Police recovered the body and sent it to Noakhali General Hospital for autopsy, the OC said.

Md Golam Faruk, senior assistant superintendent of police (Hatia circle), said police will take legal action after Rabindra Chandra's family submits a written complaint.