Kushtia BNP leader shot in suspected dispute over illegal sand mining
Kushtia BNP leader shot in suspected dispute over illegal sand mining
A local leader of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) was shot and injured in an attack at a sand mining site near the Hardinge Bridge in Kushtia’s Bheramara upazila on Sunday evening.
Nasirul Biswas, 45, the general secretary of the BNP’s Ward 4 in Bahirchar Union, was conducting business at the site when he was confronted by a group of armed individuals. According to police and local witnesses, seven assailants—six of whom were masked—approached Biswas and demanded payment from his sand sales while questioning him over the leasing rights of the site. When Biswas refused their demands, an argument ensued, prompting the attackers to open fire. As he attempted to flee, Biswas was struck in the back by a bullet and sustained further injuries to his legs from sharp weapons.
Emergency responders transported the victim to the Bheramara Upazila Health Complex before transferring him to Kushtia General Hospital. Dr. Iqbal Hasan, the hospital’s resident medical officer, confirmed that the bullet has been successfully removed from the victim’s body. While Biswas also bears signs of trauma to his lower extremities, medical officials have reported that he is currently out of danger.
Jahurul Islam Bijli, the acting president of the Bahirchar Union BNP, identified the victim as the supervisor of the party’s local sand business operations, noting that he was targeted specifically while performing his professional duties.
Law enforcement authorities are now preparing to file a formal case as the investigation continues. Bheramara Police Station Officer-in-Charge Muhammad Jahedur Rahman stated that while the perpetrators remain unidentified, investigators believe the motive behind the ambush is rooted in a dispute over the illegal sand trade.
The attack has cast a spotlight on the regional regulatory environment, as local officials maintain that all sand extraction activities in the area are currently prohibited. Abdul Wadud, the Additional Deputy Commissioner (Revenue) of Kushtia, clarified that there are no valid or active leases for sand extraction along the Padma River in the district, rendering all associated commercial activity illegal.
