Sirajganj councillor-elect killing: 1 arrested from Dhaka

Police on Friday arrested a suspect from Dhaka’s Jatrabari for the murder of BNP-backed Sirajganj councillor Tariqul Islam Khan just minutes after his victory in the recently concluded phase-II municipal elections.

The arrestee was identified as Zahidul Islam, 20, son of Tikka Bepari of Byaparipari in Sirajganj Municipality.

Police also seized the murder weapon from a  pond in Sirajganj based on Zahid’s confession, said Police Super (BPM) of Sirajganj Sadar Thana Hasibul Alam in a press conference on Friday.

Zahidul, a supporter of losing candidate Shahadat Hossain, confessed to planning to murder councillor candidate Tariqul Islam in case they lost the poll to him. They went to the polls prepared to attack him as planned on the night before the Election.

The other candidate for councillor and key suspect of the case, General Secretary of Awami League local unit Shahadat Hossain and his supporters were the masterminds behind the murder, he added.

Also Read - Sirajganj councillor-elect killed in post-polls violence

Zahidul went from Dhaka to Sirajganj as a supporter of Shahadat three days prior to the election as planned. For the first two days he campaigned for him and on the last day he joined a meeting to plan the attack, Hasibul Alam quoted the accused.

Zahidul later stabbed Tariqul as planned after the result was announced and fled to Dhaka disposing of the weapon at Sirajganj in a pond.

Hasibul Alam further said he and his team are working tirelessly to capture the rest of the accused and hope to be successful.

"Those who are involved with the murder will be brought under the law,” he added.

Deputy Police Super of Sadar Circle Snigdho Aktar, Officer in Charge Bahauddin Faruqi and the investigation officer of the case Tariqul Islam were also present at the press conference.

Tariqul Islam Khan won the ward council election of no 6 ward by 85 votes. He was stabbed to death soon after the announcement of his victory on Saturday.

His son Ikramul Hasan Hridoy lodged a case with Sirajganj Sadar police station the next day against defeated candidate Shahadat Hossain and 50 others.