GOALANDO, RAJBARI — Police have arrested a suspect following the fatal stabbing of a local political activist near the Goalando Bazar railway tracks in Rajbari district on Saturday morning, an attack triggered by a feud over unpaid financial debts.
The victim, 40-year-old Shariful Islam (popularly known as Hira), served as the deputy publication secretary for the Goalando Municipal Jubo League. A resident of the Kazipara neighbourhood, his identity and death were confirmed by Sheikh Sohel, president of the municipal Jubo League unit.
Law enforcement officers acted swiftly, apprehending the primary suspect, 35-year-old Kamrul Fakir, near the Kumrakandi railway bridge at approximately midday—just two hours after the assault took place.
Chilling Account of the Fatal Assault
The fatal altercation occurred around 10:00 am near the Torayer More junction adjacent to the railway line. Hearing shouts and a sudden commotion, the victim’s wife, Shamsunnahar Mukta, rushed to the site only to discover her husband lying collapsed on the ground with a knife driven deep into his chest.
In a heartbreaking final plea, the mortally wounded activist begged his wife to remove the blade from his chest. Local residents assisted in drawing out the weapon before rushing Shariful to the Goalando Upazila Health Complex, where duty doctors pronounced him dead on arrival.
Debt Dispute and Evolving Investigation
According to relatives and witnesses, the confrontation originated from a ৳6,000 personal loan Shariful had taken from Kamrul two months prior. Despite partial repayments made in instalments, friction between the two men had mounted over the remaining balance.
Robin Nurtaj, a local schoolteacher and uncle of the deceased, recounted that Kamrul intercepted Shariful shortly after he stepped out of his house. A heated argument over the outstanding sum rapidly turned physical, culminating in Kamrul allegedly pulling out a sharp knife and striking Shariful directly in the chest before fleeing the area.
Detectives from Goalando Ghat Police Station and Additional Superintendent of Police (Sadar Circle) Shahidul Islam subsequently inspected the scene. Meanwhile, several local residents alleged that the railway corridor connecting Torayer More and Kumrakandi bridge is an active hub for narcotics trading, suggesting the quarrel may have involved illicit drug profits alongside the unpaid loan.
Goalando Ghat Police Station Officer-in-Charge Sofiqul Islam confirmed that the victim’s body has been transferred to the Rajbari Sadar Hospital morgue for a post-mortem examination as preparations to register a murder case proceed. While initial evidence points to the personal debt as the primary motive, investigators are probing all potential angles, including suspected drug trade links.
