The recent abduction and murder of seven people in Narayanganj was apparently the result of longstanding rivalries between the two city corporation councillors – Nazrul Islam, one of the slain persons, and Nur Hossain, the prime suspect.
Residents of the port city, who are aware of the rivalry between the two Awami League leaders, seem to have a very clear notion about what Nur wanted to achieve by eliminating Nazrul if he was really involved with the murder.
Possible motives behind the seven murder have been in discussions of a cross-section of people in Narayanganj, but most people have been reluctant to talk to these correspondents on record out of fear.
Nazrul’s father-in-law Shahidul Islam, who has revealed many things since the abduction of Nazrul and six others on April 27, earlier told the Dhaka Tribune that he believed Nur Hossain had masterminded the crime “to ensure his unchallenged supremacy in the locality.”
However, many strongly believe that Nazrul’s murder was actually “killing many birds with one stone.” They believe killing Nazrul was not the end of the plot at all because the murders have complicated the situation for a number of parties that were allegedly partners in the crime.
Prime accused Nur Hossain, now a fugitive, came under spotlight as an emerging “Mafia don” or a “godfather” of the commercial hub just 20km from the capital. Now, after Nazrul’s murder Nur Hossain faces more challenges to making Narayanganj his unchallenged empire as he has become the prime accused himself in the sensational case.
On the other hand, the elite strike force Rapid Action Battalion – its 11th battalion – has been into controversy for its alleged role in the abduction and killing. RAB has been investigating and has already unearthed the alleged involvement of the local powerful Osman family’s involvement in last year’s abduction and killing of college student Tanvir Mohammad Twoki.
Chandan Seal, who is close to the Osman family, especially Awami League lawmaker Shamim Osman, told the Dhaka Tribune that both Nazrul and Nur Hossain were from Siddhirganj area of the port city and contested in the union parishad election in the late 1990s. Nazrul was initially declared the chairman of the Siddhirganj union but Nur complained of vote rigging at a few centres. Following court orders, the union saw a re-election which Nur Hossain won.
Interestingly, at that time Nazrul was an Awami League leader and Nur Hossain was from the BNP.
Chandan Seal said a rivalry had since developed between them and a competition of establishing their influence and supremacy in Siddhirganj area. Both Nazrul and Nur were the contractors of the Roads and Highways Department, meaning their rivalry was also at the professional level.
Seal said: “If Nazurl got a work order for a big project in Siddhdirganj, Nur Hossain would be disappointed.”
Nur Hossain joined the Awami League between 2000 and 2001 when the party was in power and Shamim Osman was also the most influential ruling party lawmaker in Narayanganj.
Nur had fled the country during the 2001-2006 rule of the BNP-Jamaat-led four party alliance and the military-backed caretaker government from 2007 to 2008 to evade arrest or harassment or any legal action. He returned when the Awami League returned to power in 2009.
Similarly, Nazrul had left the country when the BNP came to power, said Seal.
“Both of them had negative reputation,” he said.
Chandan Seal said initiatives had been taken in the past by local Awami League leaders for the reconciliation between Nazrul and Nur Hossain, but nothing worked.
When Narayanganj was declared a city corporation the electoral areas of Nazrul and Nur were automatically separated: Nazrul became the councillor of ward 2 and Nur of ward 4.
But in the panel mayor election Nur Hossain contested another councillor – Obaidullah – to become number 1 panel mayor, but he lost the battle as Nazrul, who had contested for panel mayor 2, won. Nazrul eventually started becoming a close aide of Narayanganj Mayor Selina Hayat Ivy.
So, the rivalry between Nazrul and Nur never really minimised; it has rather intensified for many reasons, said Seal.
Seal believes that Nazurl’s murder was the result of a fight between Nazrul and Nur Hossain over establishing and expanding supremacy in Siddhirganj and other parts of the city.
Some sources said although Nur was known as an aide of Shamim Osman, he had gradually expanded his network within the Awami League and had been able to reach even the top level of the party and the government.
Wishing not to be named, a local leading socio-political activist said Nur Hossain had gradually established close relations with some other Awami League lawmakers, ministers and even an adviser to the prime minister.
This ambition of Nur’s might become a threat to other local influential leaders – of losing their supremacy in Narayanganj to Nur.
So, knowing well about the rivalry between Nur and Nazrul and Nur’s desperate desire to eliminate Nazrul physically, some other group may have taken the chance, helping Nur commit the crime, anticipating that this would ultimately bring the worst results for both.
Involving local RAB officials as a mercenary group in the abduction and killing might have also been part of a bigger plot, said a resident who closely follows socio-political development in Narayanganj.
He said RAB’s revelation of Osman family’s involvement, especially that of Nasim Osman’s son Azmeri Osman, and use of his torture cell to kill Twoki after abduction annoyed this powerful family.
Nasim Osman, elder brother of Shamim Osman and a Jatiya Party MP from a constituency in the port city, died last month under treatment at an Indian hospital.
The Narayanganj resident said Sultan Shawkat alias Bhromor, an accused in Twoki murder case, had confessed to a Narayanganj court in November last year revealing the whole incident and Azmeri Osman’s direct involvement in Twoki’s murder.
Bhromor’s statement said he had witnessed the incident as he was in Azmeri’s office at that time.
RAB investigated Twoki’s murder and revealed Azmeri’s involvement and in March revealed to the media 11 names, including Azmeri, saying it had found their involvement in Twoki’s killing and would submit the charge sheet soon.
The developments from Bhromor’s confessional statement and RAB’s preparation for submitting the charge sheet accusing Azmeri Osman prompted Osman family stalwarts to rush to the government high ups for preventing the charges against Azmeri, said a source.
The source said the Osman family desperately pursued and tried to explore all possible avenues to refrain RAB from prosecuting Azmeri in the Twoki murder case.
Rab 11, which had shown the courage to reveal the involvement of the political clout in Twoki murder, has now come under huge criticism for its alleged involvement with the murder of seven people in exchange for crores of taka.
Analysing these backgrounds and developments, some sources in Narayanganj expressed concerns about the fate of the Twoki murder case and its investigation.
But Rabiul Huq, who has been with RAB 11 and investigated the case, told the Dhaka Tribune: “Twoki’s murder was an isolated incident. The recent seven murder in Narayanganj will not have any influence into the investigation of this case.
“Our investigation into Twoki’s murder will continue in its natural course. It was a big sensational criminal incident, so we have to submit the charge sheet after ensuring all evidence with caution. So, it will take time to complete the investigation.”
