Links with murderers from Rifat: Local leaders from Awami League to steer clear

Senior representatives of the Awami League in Barguna are now accusing each other of having connections with Rifat Sharif's murderers who died in the district on Wednesday after being hacked in wide daylight.

Rifat Sharif

Actively participating in various programs of the Awami League and its associate organization Jubo League, many of the accused were seen, said locals.

One of the primary accused, Sabbir Hossain Nayan alias Nayan Bond, is a close associate of Advocate Sunam Devnath, son of local lawmaker Dhirendra Debnath Shambhu, supposed vice president of Barguna Awami League Delwar Hossain, adding that Nayan was successful in building a good relationship with local police because of that "identity."

Contacted, however, Suman refused to have any connections with Nayan. "Our political competitors are attempting to benefit from the killing of political mileage. Nayan wasn't part of our band," he said.

Shambhu, speaking to The Daily Star, said, "The accused belong to the rival group that is now spreading propaganda against me to harm my political career."

Two other suspects, Rifat Farajee and Risan Farajee, are Delwar Hossain's son, also Barguna council chairman. They are part of the community of Delwar.

Delwar said, "It's true the two are my parents, but they're local MP Dhirendra Debnath Shambhu's followers. I have no link with them, and I call on the murderers to be put to death.

Nayan was working as a police informer, according to Delwar.

Asked, Md Maruf Hossain, the district police superintendent, dismissed the allegation and said he was detained by authorities in the past on several occasions.

Rifat Sharif, 25, was attacked on June 26 close Barguna Government College in front of his wife Ayesha Siddika Minni. That night later. The dad of the victim lodged a murder case with 12 charges.

The primary defendants are at big, including Nayan and Rifat Farajee.

On Friday evening, each of the two accused named Chandon and Hasan was given a 7-day remand by a Barguna tribunal, while another accused Najmul Hasan was given a 2-day remand.

Meanwhile, Benapole border officials have been instructed by the authorities to remain high alert so that the killers of Rifat cannot cross the border and escape arrest.

Abul Bashar, OC of Benapole International Police Immigration Check Post, told this newspaper that passports and other records were being carefully inspected by everyone crossing the frontier.