The family of the head teacher of a Gaibandha school killed in blockade violence on Saturday was apparently barred from lodging a case over his death.
Locals alleged that Jamaat-e-Islami men persuaded the family into not filing any case as his in-laws were involved in Jamaat politics.
Altaf Hossain, 50, was the headmaster of Chhoto Bhagabanpur Government Primary School at Jhalingi village in Betkapa union of Palashbari upazila.
On Friday, he was returning home on a human haulier from Rangpur’s Pirganj but blockaders chased the vehicle when it reached Suigram-Grameen Bank area in Palashbari. The driver accelerated but blockaders hit him with sticks, causing him to fall out and the vehicle to overturn.
Five passengers of the vehicle, including Altaf, were seriously injured. Altaf was rushed to Palashbari Upazila Health Complex but was later taken to Rangpur Prime Medical College Hospital as his condition deteriorated. He died there on Saturday noon.
His namaz-e-janaza was held at his residence on Sunday. But Vice-chairman of Palashbari upazila parishad Md Abu Taleb urged the family members attending the prayer not to get involved in any “hassle” over the incident as this would not bring him back to life.
Taleb is also the ameer of Palashbari Sadar union of Jamaat and was accused in a number of subversion cases.
On Sunday evening, police went to Altaf’s house to lodge a case but some men there were strongly against it.
This correspondent tried to talk to Altaf’s wife Rahima Begum but a neighbour named Shamim who was in the house came up and angrily said: “We do not want journalists to dig deep into the incident as we will not file any case.”
Another man named Md Yusuf Mia, who identified himself as the brother-in-law of Altaf, said he was with the teacher in hospital during treatment but the reason of the death remained unclear.
After a while, Shamim brought a piece of paper to Rahima and asker her to put a signature on it. The widow did.
Altaf’s elder daughter Laboni was then asked to do the same but some elderly men forbade her.
Some of Altaf’s relatives also put their signatures on the paper, which was basically a statement that said no case would be filed in connection with Altaf’s death.
The statement was handed over to police but Rahima and Laboni began crying louder after that as if they had something to say but could not utter it.
Locals said almost everyone of Altaf’s in-laws is involved in Jamaat politics and even Jhalingi village itself is a Jamaat-dominated area.
Altaf’s childhood friend Enamul Haque, who is a trader in Dholbhanga, expressed his resentment, saying: “It is true that the wife of the deceased cannot identify those responsible for his death but cannot she at least demand justice for the crime?”
“One of Altaf’s brother-in-law was recently arrested in a subversion case but was later bailed. In fact, his in-laws are involved in Jamaat politics which is why they are trying to make sure that no one goes any further about the incident,” he added.
Altaf is survived by two daughters, a son and his wife. His elder daughter Laboni recently got married while the younger one Liza is a tenth-grader at Dholbhanga High School. His son Rohan Mia is a qawmi madrasa student in Rangpur.
Officer-in-Charge of Palashbari police station Mojibur Rahman said Altaf’s family was reluctant to file any case.
“They gave a written statement where they said they are against initiating any legal proceedings in connection with the death,” he said.
Altaf’s in-laws claimed that the accident happened as a motorcyclist suddenly drove in front of the human haulier.
Mojibur also echoed the statement, saying it was likely that the driver of the human haulier lost control after thinking of the rider in front of him as a Jamaat or Shibir activist.
“We are investigating if blockaders chased the human haulier before the rider drove in front of it,” he added.
Palashbari and Sundarganj are known as Jamaat strongholds. Terror reigned Palashbari in the wake of the pronouncement of Jamaat leader Delawar Hossain Sayedee’s war crimes verdict on February 28, 2013.
The upazila once again descended into chaos after the verdict in the case against another Jamaat leader Quader Molla was handed down in late 2013.