A local Jubo League leader was beaten and hacked to death in Bangladesh’s southwestern Jessore district on Thursday, in an incident that has renewed concerns over political violence and the security of opposition activists in the country.
The victim, Jewel Ahmed Rana, 40, a member of the convening committee of Patibila Union Jubo League in Chaugachha upazila, died while undergoing treatment at Jessore General Hospital after suffering severe injuries in an attack in Muktadah village.
Family members and eyewitnesses alleged that local leaders and activists affiliated with the ruling Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) carried out the attack in broad daylight. BNP leaders, however, denied any political involvement and described the killing as the result of a local dispute.
According to local residents, the violence erupted on Thursday morning at Muktadah intersection after an argument between Rana and a local resident, Yusuf Ali, widely known as “Kasai” (the butcher). Witnesses said the dispute quickly escalated.
Several residents alleged that a group of armed men subsequently attacked Rana with sharp weapons and sticks. The attackers reportedly beat and hacked him repeatedly before fleeing the scene.
Relatives rushed the critically injured Rana to Chaugachha Upazila Health Complex. As his condition deteriorated, doctors referred him to Jessore General Hospital, where he died around 12:30 p.m., according to family members.
Rana was the son of Wadud Khandakar of Muktadah village. Local residents said he had remained largely out of public view following the political upheaval of 2024. After the national election held earlier this year, he reportedly returned to his village and resumed regular activities.
His death has drawn attention because it occurred amid continued allegations of harassment, arrests, and violence targeting leaders and activists associated with the Awami League and its affiliated organizations in various parts of Bangladesh.
Human rights observers and opposition figures have repeatedly expressed concern about shrinking political space and growing intolerance toward political rivals following the country’s turbulent political transition. Reports of attacks, arrests, and reprisals involving Awami League supporters have surfaced periodically over the past two years.
Speaking to The Voice, Rana’s wife, Maya Begum, described the moments leading up to the attack.
“He was getting ready to take our daughter to school,” she said. “Before leaving, he went to the nearby road junction for tea. That was when they attacked him. The people involved in this murder are active in BNP politics.”
Relatives echoed her allegations, claiming the assailants acted openly and without fear of consequences.
Local sources alleged that the attackers were led by Nazrul Islam, a vice president of Patibila Union BNP and a union parishad member. The allegations could not be independently verified.
Contacted by The Voice, Chaugachha Upazila BNP President M.A. Salam rejected claims that BNP leaders were involved.
“To my knowledge, Jewel Rana was killed over a local land dispute,” Salam said. “BNP leader Nazrul Islam was not involved in the incident.”
Police also offered a preliminary assessment that differed from the family’s account.
Officer-in-Charge Mamunur Rashid of Chaugachha Police Station told The Voice that investigators initially believed the killing stemmed from a longstanding dispute between Rana and Yusuf Ali.
“Based on the information received so far, there had been a prior conflict between Yusuf and Jewel,” Rashid said. “The murder appears to have occurred as a consequence of that dispute. Preparations are underway to file a case.”
Authorities had not announced any arrests as of Thursday evening.
The killing is the latest in a series of violent incidents reported in different parts of Bangladesh as political tensions continue to simmer. Analysts note that although many attacks are officially described as personal or local disputes, questions often arise when victims are politically affiliated figures, where partisan rivalries remain intense.
For Rana’s family, however, the focus remains on accountability.
“We want justice,” a relative said outside the hospital. “Those who killed him did it in public. Everyone knows what happened.”
