‘I became orphan days ago, and now my son too’

“My husband cannot die, my son cannot become orphan. Allah, please bring my husband back. He told my son before leaving home that he would buy him new clothes and shoes and pay off loans after selling the paddy. Where has my husband gone now, what will happen to my innocent son?”

This is how Nasrin Akhter Chameli was lamenting while holding her only son Abdullah Al Mahi, 13, in her yard of their home. Nasrin’s husband Abdur Rashid Arefin died in a clash between BNP men and police in Panchagarh on Saturday. Nasrin fainted at one point.

Abdur Rashid, 50, from Pathraj-Chandanpara area of Maidandighi union under Boda upazila in the district, was a joint convener of union unit BNP. He was previously involved with politics of Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal, the student wing of BNP.

A pall of gloom had descended upon the house of Abdur Rashid on Sunday morning. His mother Anwara Begum, 72, was sitting on a bed inside the house. The relatives and neighbours who were waiting for Abdur Rashid’s body could not hold back tears. BNP’s central executive committee’s member and Panchagarh district unit’s member secretary Farhad Hossain and other leaders were consoling the bereaved family members. Some were preparing the burial.

Family members and relatives said Abdur Rashid was second among six brothers and two sisters. He was head teacher of Vimpukur Dangapara primary school for a long time. But as the school was not enlisted in the monthly pay order (MPO) system, Abdur Rashid left the school and had been working as a principal of a kindergarten school named Ekramul Haque Bidyaniketan. He would also run a pharmacy in local Pathraj bazar. To look after his family including wife, son and mother, Abdur Rashid would also cultivate a tiny piece of land inherited from his father. He would also look after the family of elder brother Anwar Hossain, who died last year. Abdur Rashid was a heart patient and underwent open heart surgery in 2016.

Nasrin said she lost her father only 23 days ago.

“I became orphan just days ago and now my son has to bear the same pain. He is so innocent. Father and son were discussing about selling the paddy only yesterday. He can’t live even a moment without his father. What will happen to him now!”

Police, BNP leaders-activists and locals said Panchagarh BNP organised a rally on Saturday afternoon as part of the programme called by the party’s central body. BNP men gathered in front of the party’s district unit office at around 2:30pm. The clash took place while the BNP men tried to bring out a procession to the street. Police charged with batons to disperse the crowd. BNP men retaliated by hurling brickbats at the police. At one point, police fired tear gas shells and rubber bullets. Abdur Rashid died and around 50 including policemen were injured during the clash.

Boda upazila Kishak Dal’s joint convener Md Alamgir was accompanying Abdur Rashid during the rally. He told Prothom Alo, “We went in front of district BNP office with a procession from Dhakkamara area in the town. Abdur Rashid was near me at that time. Later we were dispersed as police charged batons and lobbed tear gas. I then lost track of Abdur Rashid. Later I heard that he had been taken to the hospital and found him dead there.”

Towfique Ahmed, residential medical officer (RMO) of Panchagargh Adhunik Sadar Hospital, told Prothom Alo over phone that there was a scrape mark on the ankle of his left foot and an old scar his open heart surgery on his chest. His body did not have any other injury marks.

It is primarily assumed that Abdur Rashid died of heart attack, the physician said.

Police also claimed Abdur Rashid died of stroke and heart disease as he had three bypass surgeries in the past.

Panchagarh police superintendent SM Sirajul Huda told Prothom Alo on Sunday that a total of five cases have so far been filed over the Saturday’s clash and eight including two Jamaat e Islami activists have been arrested.

He said the first inquest and autopsy have been conducted and the process to hand over Abdur Rashid’s body to the family is underway.