Jubo Dal activist Shaon murder: Case filed against unidentified persons, BNP blamed in FIR

A murder case has been filed over the death of Jubo Dal activist Shaon Pradhan, who died during a clash between the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and the police in Narayanganj on Thursday.

Shaon’s elder brother Milon filed the case against unidentified persons at Narayanganj Model police station at around 2:00am on Friday.

Additional police super (crime) in Narayanganj, Amir Khosru, confirmed this to Prothom Alo.

In the FIR it was noted that, Shaon was trying to go to his workplace on Thursday when he got seriously injured by the stones hurled and bullet shot by the BNP activists and members of the party's associate bodies. Shaon later succumbed to his injuries.

Earlier, at around 1:15am on Friday, Shaon was buried in the Nabinagar graveyard under strict police supervision. In the presence of a large number of police and district Detective Branch (DB) police officers the body was handed over to Shaon’s elder brother Milon and uncle Motahar Hossain at the Narayanganj General (Victoria) Hospital at around 12:30am.

Later, under the protection of police and DB police, Shaon’s body was brought to his home. Within an hour of handing over the body it was buried in hast.

In the case report it was written that Shaon worked as a mechanic at a workshop. On Thursday, he left his home in the morning to purchase some goods for the workshop from the town. At around 1:00pm, Shaon’s brother Milon was informed in a phone call that Shaon’s body is at Narayanganj General Hospital. Later, Milon went to the hospital and identified his brother’s body.

Milon in the case FIR wrote, from what he heard from the witness and locals, that over 5,000 leaders and activists of BNP and its associate bodies brought out processions on Thursday morning marking the party’s founding anniversary. The leaders and activists were carrying stones, steel rods, hockey sticks and other weapons.

They threw stones at the police and then exploded cocktails. At around 11:45am, Shaon was passing the road beside the town’s no. 2 rail gate. The members of BNP and its associate bodies started pelting stones, exploded cocktails and used illegal firearms to attack police that time.

Shaon was severely wounded on his head and shoulder by the stones and bullet and fell to the ground. Passersby took him to a hospital where the physicians declared him dead, the FIR added.

When Milon was asked about the FIR on Friday morning, he refused to comment. He said he wants justice for his brother’s death.

In the clashes between BNP activists and police, a total of 26 persons, including passersby and women sustained bullet wounds. Over 50 people were injured. The clashes took place at the DIT commercial area between 10:30am and 12:00pm.

Shaon was from East Gopalnagar area under Boktaboli union. He worked as a welder at an easy bike manufacturing factory near his home.

After Thursday’s clash, Shaon’s photo and video was seen on different media. Before the clashes, Shaon was seen at the frontline of a procession. During the clashes, he was seen pelting stones at the police at the no. 2 rail gate area.

Following Shaon’s death, BNP claimed him as an activist of Jubo Dal. A local source has informed Prothom Alo that Shaon was involved with Jubo Dal’s politics and was trying to get a post in the committee of the youth wing of the BNP. Shaon also used to introduce himself as a Jubo Dal activist on his Facebook profile.

Meanwhile, Awami League leaders and activists claimed that he was a member of Jubo League in a procession on Thursday evening. At 7:30pm, they held a demonstration in front of Shaon’s home. The procession was led by the office secretary of Awami League’s Fatullah unit Jahangir Hossain.