Jamaat leader dies after falling under trolley

District Correspondent

Jamaat leader Rafiqul Islam, who was riding a motorcycle, died after being crushed under a sand-laden trolley in Dimla, Nilphamari.

The incident took place around 10:30 am yesterday on the road next to Gayabari School and College, adjacent to Shutibari Bazar in the upazila.

The deceased, Rafiqul Islam (60), was the son of the late Amin Uddin of Khalisha Chapani Burir Hat village. He was the former Amir of Khalisha Chapani Union Jamaat.

He was also the Dimla Upazila Secretary of the Workers’ Welfare Federation, an affiliate organization of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami. He was also the Assistant Superintendent of Chatnai Balapara Dakhil Madrasa and the Khatib of Dimla Titpara Boro Juma Jame Mosque.

It is learnt that on Sunday morning, a few trolleys were going towards Dalia via Shutibari. At that time, Rafiqul Islam Khalishachapani was on his way to the madrasa on his motorcycle from his home when a speeding trolley hit him. At that time, he fell on the road.

Locals quickly rescued him and took him to the Upazila Health Complex, where the emergency department doctors declared him dead.

After the incident, Jamaat-Shibir leaders and activists blocked the road for an hour and protested. They demanded an end to illegal sand and stone extraction from the Teesta River within 24 hours and the repair of damaged roads. They also announced to block all roads in the Shutibari area, including the Dimla-Dalia road, on Monday.

Upazila Jamaat Amir Mujibur Rahman said, “We are deeply saddened. We demand a fair investigation and trial into this accident.”

Md. Yasin, an activist of the underground organization Shibir, said that an influential group in the Telirbazar area of ​​Dimlar is illegally extracting sand and stones from the Teesta. The trolleys used for this transportation have made the roads impassable and accidents are occurring.

However, locals have said that BNP and Jamaat-e-Shibir leaders are involved in this illegal sand and stone mining. Since August 5 last year, influential people supported by BNP and Jamaat have been involved in this work. Even though sand and stone mining is taking place right under the nose of the administration, it is not being stopped.

Dimla Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Fazle Elahi said police are deployed at the scene and legal action is being taken in the incident.