[Bangla Daily Star] A union parishad (UP) chairman yesterday sprayed bullets on a crowd at Ashrafabad in Kamrangirchar on the outskirts of the capital, leaving one youth dead on the spot and another bullet-injured.In reprisal, agitated people attacked the residence of Haji Monir Hossain, chairman of Sultanganj Union Parishad, and set fire to his car.
The demonstrators also torched an umbrella factory owned by a brother of the UP chairman at Nurbag. Monir is also the president of Kamrangirchar Thana BNP and a sidekick of detained former BNP lawmaker Nasiruddin Ahmed Pintu.
The deceased was identified as Mohammad Hasan, 18, son of Siddique of Nesarabad in Pirojpur and an employee of Talukdar timber shop at Lohar Bridge in the area.
Witnesses said a group of local people chased Monir and encircled him at Lohar Bridge in the area around 1:45pm when he was passing through the locality by his private car.
"Monir was then locked in an heated altercation with the locals and at one stage he pulled his firearm and sprayed five to six rounds of bullet on the crowd," said an employee of a local shop who witnessed the incident.
After spraying bullets, Monir fled the scene by his private car. Hasan died on the spot while another youth Sumon sustained bullet injury in his neck. Two others were also injured after being hit by his speeding car.
Sumon, 32, a pedestrian, was admitted to Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH).
Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Kamrangirchar Police Station Mohammad Nazrul Islam said UP Chairman Monir was locked in a quarrel with locals when they intercepted his car and the chairman fled the spot at one stage firing bullets.
On Monday during a meeting of Ashrafabad High School committee, some Awami League (AL) men blamed him for misappropriating money of the school fund, the OC added.
Seeking anonymity a local rickshaw puller who witnessed the incident told The Daily Star that around seven to eight people chased a car near Lohar Bridge at about 1:45pm. He heard gunshots shortly after the chase.
Organising secretary of Kamrangirchar Thana Committee Swechchasebok League Afzal Mia said UP Chairman Monir sprayed bullets on people and left the scene by his car while he along with 10 others were sitting at a timber shop in the area.
Mrs Roma, wife of Monir, quoting Monir said armed AL men fired at his car and he fired back to escape the scene.
She added that her husband went into hiding after leaving his car to avert further attack by AL men.