Last Sunday morning, Ferdous Ahmed, the leader of the Swechhasebak Dal, left home to attend a party programme. His mobile phone remained switched off since the afternoon, and his body was discovered the following morning.

Ferdous, the son of Nurul Haque from the Anandabazar area of Khuniagach Union in Lalmonirhat Sadar, served as the Swechhasebak Dal's president. His sudden demise has sparked numerous inquiries, with the police themselves labelling it a murder. The opposition party, BNP, asserts that Ferdous is a victim of state violence. 

The police recovered Ferdous' body from the side of Nijpara Government Primary School Road in Lalmonirhat Sadar Upazila last Monday morning. According to family members, Ferdous had left the house on Sunday morning, informing them of his participation in the party programme. With his mobile phone switched off in the afternoon, relatives initiated a search, and locals alerted the police upon discovering his body lying there around 7 a.m. on Monday.

Alamgir, Ferdous' younger brother, told Bangla Outlook, "We are unaware of any disputes or enmity involving my elder brother. His phone remained switched off since the afternoon after he left to attend the party programme. I cannot explain what happened. We seek clarity on the circumstances surrounding his death."

When questioned about filing a case, he responded, "The police are investigating the matter. We have decided not to pursue any further legal action."

Omar Farooq, the Officer-in-charge (OC) of Lalmonirhat Sadar Police Station, informed the media, "No signs of injury were detected on the deceased's body. Initial assessments suggest that he was strangled to death. Confirmation awaits the results of the autopsy. The police retrieved the body and dispatched it to the morgue at Lalmonirhat Sadar Hospital for examination. Legal proceedings are underway in response to this incident."

BNP Secretary General's statement

In a statement issued to the media, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir strongly condemned and protested the discovery of Ferdous' body, stating, "This incident epitomises the inhumanity, cruelty, and malice of the state. The ruling party has enveloped the entire nation in the shadow of authoritarian governance in their pursuit of state power. Cold-blooded murder has regrettably become ingrained within the culture of the powerful."

He stated, "The Awami League has consistently shown disdain for upholding liberal democracy, social stability, and a peaceful atmosphere. The illegitimate rulers are solely focused on perpetuating their rule, even if it means sustaining misrule. Over the past fifteen years, this illegitimate government has waged a brutal campaign of violence against democratic forces. Operating as a breeding ground for corruption, this puppet government views brute force and bloodshed as necessary tools for maintaining power. Consequently, to stifle dissenting voices, they resort to heinous tactics such as forced disappearances, murders, and assassinations. The pervasive terror unleashed by the Awami League has now violently spread across the nation."

The BNP Secretary General remarked, "The horrifying murder of Ferdous, the president of the Khuniagach Union Swechhasebak Dal in Mahendranagar Upazila, Lalmonirhat District, last Monday, carried out by miscreants in a sinister manner, is yet another appalling instance of the ongoing misrule. Insha'Allah, the people of Bangladesh will one day pass judgement on this inhumane and heart-wrenching incident on their soil. Everything has its end, and regardless of how much the perpetrators enjoy the patronage of those in power, justice will catch up with them eventually."

The Swechhasebak Dal says it is murder, blames the government

Bangladesh Jatiotabadi Swechhasebak Dal Committee President SM Jilani and General Secretary Rajib Ahsan expressed their grievances in a statement forwarded to the media regarding the discovery of Ferdous's body. They mentioned, "BNP's Rangpur Divisional Organising Secretary Asadul Habib Dulu convened a coordination meeting prior to the Iftar Mahfils at various locations during Ramadan. He (the deceased) left his residence to attend a coordination meeting. However, as he did not return home by nightfall, extensive searches were conducted, leading to the discovery of his body last Monday morning."

They further stated, "Following the sham election on January 7, the frequency of transgressions, including forced disappearances, murders, and kidnappings of opposition party leaders and activists, has escalated due to the atrocious mismanagement by the incumbent Awami ruling party. This murder is a testament to that trend. The people of this nation are relentless in their determination to hold the illegal Awami government accountable for all forms of atrocities, including every murder perpetrated by them."