A minor dispute over breaking a high-denomination banknote escalated into a night of terror in Rajshahi, culminating in the horrific murder of a local grocery shopkeeper. Abdul Bari, 40, was brutally attacked with sharp weapons in the early hours of Sunday, moments after an armed mob set fire to his shop using petrol bombs.
The tragedy unfolded at Bakir Mor under the Rajpara Police Station jurisdiction. According to police and family accounts, the trouble began on Saturday evening when a group of youths from the neighbouring Chandipur area arrived in Bakir Mor. Relatives noted that several individuals in the group appeared to be under the influence of narcotics. When the youths approached Bari’s small grocery store requesting change for currency, Bari explained that he did not have enough small bills to accommodate them.
What should have been a brief, unremarkable interaction turned hostile. Words were exchanged, tensions flared, and a physical altercation erupted between the shopkeeper and the youths before the group eventually dispersed.
The conflict was far from over. At approximately 1:45 am, a gang of roughly 50 to 55 individuals returned to the neighborhood, armed with improvised sharp weapons and petrol bombs. Arriving at Bari’s residence and the adjoining shop, the assailants forced open the metal shutter of the store and hurled petrol bombs inside, engulfing the premises in flames.
As smoke and fire began to threaten the adjacent house, Bari and his family members rushed outside in desperation. Waiting assailants ambushed the shopkeeper, striking him repeatedly with sharp blades and leaving him bleeding profusely on the road. The mob fled the scene before local residents could rally to assist.
Bari was hurried to Rajshahi Medical College Hospital (RMCH), where attending physicians pronounced him dead on arrival. His body was transferred to the hospital morgue for a post-mortem examination.
Rajpara Police Station Officer-in-Charge, Abul Kalam Azad, confirmed that officers inspected the crime scene overnight, gathering evidence related to the arson and the weapons used. Law enforcement is actively working to identify members of the mob and establish whether the midnight attack was premeditated. Formal murder charges are currently being prepared, and police have launched widespread drives across neighbouring areas to track down and apprehend those involved.
