A leader of Awami League-affiliated Swechhasebak League was murdered by unidentified attackers on Monday surrounding the upazila polls.
According to Mothbaria police station Officer-in-Charge MR Showkat Hossain, on Monday morning, Jony Talukdar, vice-president of Holta Gulishakhali union unit of the Swechhasebak League, was standing in the open when around two dozen people attacked him with bladed weapons.
The attackers fled, but not before grievously injuring Jony. Locals contacted the police, who took Jony to the Upazila Health Complex where doctors recommended his transfer to Barisal for better care. After he was admitted to Barisal Sher-e-Bangla Medical College in Barisal, he was pronounced dead by doctors around 1pm.
According to local residents, Jony supported independent candidate Riaz Uddin, which incensed Awami League candidate Hossain Mosharraf Saku, who may have ordered the attack.
However, Mothbaria upazila Awami League President Rafiuddin Ferdous has denied any party involvement in the attack.
