Dhaka’s Dohar BNP Leader Killed Over Political, Business Rivalry, Say Police

Bangla Press Desk:  Police believe political and business rivalries may have provided the motive for the murder of Harun Or Rashid alias Harun Master, president of the Nayabari Union BNP unit in Dhaka's Dohar district, a year ago.

Ten people, including several BNP leaders, have been named as accused in the chargesheet for the murder.

Police say that Harun was killed in a pre-planned manner after the Awami League government fell in the face of a mass uprising due to “disagreements with another BNP leader and a conflict with another person over business”.

Police filed a chargesheet in the case on May 10. BNP leaders Shamsuddin Member, Shahid Mia alias Balu Shahid, Sajib Hossain Babu, Mohsin, Jihad Chowkidar, Rabbi, Al-Amin, Sharif, Humayun Molla and Rashedul Hasan Chanchal have been named as suspects.

However, it also recommended that four others accused in the case - local BNP leaders Nasir Uddin Military, Dipu Sikder, Sohag Bhuiyan and Miraj – be dropped from the charge sheet.

A deceased suspect, Faruk Hossain, has also been recommended for discharge.

The court was to consider taking the case into cognisance on Jul 2. However, as the plaintiffs were not satisfied with the charge sheet, their lawyer, Monir Hossain, asked for more time.

Dhaka's Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Habibur Rahman granted the request and set the next hearing date for Aug 8, said Sub-Inspector (SI) Md Shahriar of the prosecution department.

SI Jubadul Haque, the investigating officer of the case, said: "We have submitted a charge sheet against 10 people. No evidence was found to charge five other people. Their discharge has been recommended.

"I want the guilty to be brought to justice, but the innocent should not be harassed."

“BNP People Involved in the Murder,” Plaintiff Says

Around 6am on Jul 2, 2025, Harun was shot and stabbed to death. Three days later, on Jul 5, his brother Abdul Mannan filed a case with the Dohar Police Station.

He said, “My brother was a very good person. The Union Parishad elections were coming up. We struggled so much over the past 17 years. But village politics are very bad. My brother was murdered because of those politics.

“My brother really wanted to serve as chairman just once. He used to say, ‘I will do such works that everyone will remember.’”

Mannan claims his brother’s rivals paid for him to be killed as he would block them from engaging in corruption.

“BNP people were also involved in this. I hate all this.”

Highlighting the objections to the charge sheet, he said, “The police did not contact us before filing the charge sheet. Some people were named as accused in the complaint, but their names were not mentioned in the charge sheet. I will file an objection against the charge sheet.”

Investigating officer Jubadul said, “A person named Dipu was named as an accused. However, he had been out of the country for eight months before the incident. Nasir is over 65 years old.

“I have filed a charge sheet against those who committed the murder and those involved in the murder after reviewing the confessional statements and CCTV video of the accused.”

What Happened That Day

Harun was once a teacher at Bahra Habil Uddin High School in Dohar and the former president of the Nayabari Union BNP Convening Committee of Dohar Thana.

SI Jubadul said that the secretary of that local BNP committee, Shamsuddin, was one of the suspects in the murder. Another suspect, Shahid, once had a monopoly in the local sand business.

“After the change in the political landscape in 2024, Harun Master had political disagreements with Shamsuddin and a business dispute with Shahid. Shamsuddin, Shahid and the other accused planned to kill Harun Master.

“In addition to Shamsuddin, Farooq, Sajib, Shahid, Humayun, Mohsin, Jihad, Al-Amin, Sharif, Rabbi and Chanchal assisted. Chanchal supplied the pistol and Jihad the motorcycle in the murder.”

Describing the day of the murder, the investigating officer said that Harun was a diabetic and used to walk on the banks of the Padma River in front of his house every day after Fajr prayers.

“On Jul 2, around 6 am, as he reached Chanchal’s restaurant at the intersection of the Bahra and Purba Dhair rivers, Mohsin noticed Harun coming. He passed on the information to Sharif, Al-Amin and Rabbi. Rabbi took Sharif and Al-Amin to the location on a motorcycle.

“Then Sharif shot Harun Master with a pistol, hitting him on the left cheek, below his left ear, below his neck, and below his back. Harun Master fell down.”

The investigating officer said, “To make sure he was dead, Al-Amin stabbed him repeatedly with a knife. The accused left him on the banks of the Padma. Locals came running when they heard the sound of the gunshots and Harun Master’s screams. He was rescued and taken to the Doha Upazila Health Complex, where the doctor declared him dead.”

The case alleges a dispute between Shamsuddin and Nasir Uddin, the member secretary of the Union BNP Convening Committee, stemming from party disputes and a power struggle over local businesses. Harun is believed to have been killed in connection with that dispute.

KM Nazrul Islam Rana, the lawyer of accused Shamsuddin, said: “There are allegations against him claiming that he ordered the murder. But the charge sheet has been unable to show anything like that. If anything, Shamsuddin is the victim.”

Harun left behind two daughters and a son. His son Shaon has completed his studies in London. He was brought back to the country by his uncle Mannan to contest the union council elections.

“My brother really wanted to become the chairman. But his hope was not fulfilled. I brought my nephew from London back to the village. He will run in the election. Inshallah, I will make him the chairman,” said Mannan.