Rickshaw puller Ramzan dies after being shot by army in Gopalganj

Staff Correspondent

Rickshaw puller Ramzan Munshi (32), who was shot by the army during clashes in Gopalganj, has died while undergoing treatment at Dhaka Medical College Hospital.

The doctor on duty declared him dead at around 2am on Friday (July 18), bringing the official number of deaths in Gopalganj by the army to five.

Ramzan’s brother Imran Munshi said that Ramzan was shot while out in an autorickshaw at around 2:30 pm on Wednesday. He was shot on his right wrist and right armpit. He was then taken to a local hospital in a critical condition and later to DHAKA. He died there on Thursday night.

Ramzan Munshi’s other brother, Hira Munshi, said, “Ramzan was shot dead in a clash while returning from a rickshaw near a cinema hall in Gopalganj city on the afternoon of the incident.”

DMCH Hospital Police Camp In-charge (Inspector) Md. Faruk said, “Ramazan Munshi, who was brought from Gopalganj Sadar area, died on Thursday night while undergoing treatment. His body has been kept in the morgue and the matter has been reported to the concerned police station.”

He also said that two more people, Sumon Biswas (30) and Abbas Ali (30), who were shot in the Gopalganj clash, are admitted to DMCH Hospital.

On Wednesday (July 16), the area in Gopalganj city was rocked by clashes between law enforcement and members of the Awami League and Chhatra League over an NCP program. At least four people were killed in the clashes from noon to evening.

Political tension has been prevailing in Gopalganj since Tuesday. Violence broke out on Wednesday morning with attacks and arson on a police vehicle before the NCP leaders’ convoy entered the city. Later, an attack was also carried out on a UNO vehicle.

Around 1:30 pm, Awami League and Chhatra League leaders and activists attacked the NCP rally stage in the Municipal Park area. Then, around 2:45 pm, clashes broke out again in front of Gopalganj Government College in the city’s Launchghat area.

At one point, the city turned into a battlefield in a three-way clash between the police and the army, Awami League and Chhatra League activists. For security reasons, the NCP leaders took refuge in the Superintendent of Police office and later left the area in an army armored vehicle.

The local administration imposed Section 144 that afternoon to control the situation. Even after imposing a curfew in the evening, the violence could not be stopped.