Activities-banned Sramik League leader, nephew shot dead in Pabna

Miscreants gunned down two people, including a leader of the Jatiya Sramik League, whose activities now banned, at Pushpapara cattle market in Ataikula upazila of Pabna Sadar on Thursday evening.

The deceased were Abdus Salam (56), convener of the Pabna Sadar upazila unit of the Jatiya Sramik League, and Ripon Hossain (35), his cousin's son and president of the Ataikula union unit of the Jatiyatabadi Sramik Dal.

Ataikula police station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Pradip Kumar confirmed the incident to Prothom Alo.

Abdus Salam was a resident of Dharmagram in Ataikula union of Pabna Sadar. He was the leaseholder of Pushpapara cattle market.

Pradip Kumar, general secretary of the Pabna district unit of the Jatiya Sramik League, told Prothom Alo that Abdus Salam was the convener of the Sramik League's Sadar upazila unit.

However, after the political changeover on 5 August 2024, he used to post photographs on social media showing himself with leaders of other political parties.

Meanwhile, Abdul Gafur, president of the Pabna district unit of the Jatiyatabadi Sramik Dal, said Ripon Hossain was the president of the organisation's Ataikula union unit.

Speaking to witnesses, it was learnt that Abdus Salam and his nephew Ripon were at their office at Pushpapara market. Around 6:45pm, a group of assailants arrived and opened indiscriminate fire at them. Locals rescued the two in critical condition and took them to Pabna General Hospital, where doctors declared them dead.

OC Pradip Kumar said police were sent to the scene after receiving information about the incident. The bodies were recovered and arrangements were being made for autopsies. Several police teams have started investigating the incident.

Pabna Superintendent of Police Abu Ashraf told Prothom Alo that the killing might have been linked to a dispute over the market lease or a conflict among extremists. The police are investigating the incident, keeping both possibilities in mind.