BNP Leader Assails Local Sand Trader and Bites Off Ear

NARSINGDI — A local leader of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) in Palash upazila has been accused of abducting and brutally assaulting a sand trader, inflicting severe bodily injuries and biting the victim’s ear. The harrowing incident, which took place on Monday afternoon, has sparked widespread outrage across Narsingdi district after details of the violent altercation circulated extensively on social media platforms the following day.

The accused politician has been identified as Mohiuddin Chishtia, the Joint Secretary of the Ghorashal Municipal unit of the BNP. According to medical professionals at the Palash Upazila Health Complex, the victim, Sakhawat Hossain, is currently undergoing emergency treatment at the medical facility. Hospital staff confirmed that Hossain required four surgical stitches to close a deep laceration on his ear and is being treated for numerous haematomas and blunt-force trauma wounds across his torso and limbs.

A Coordinated Infiltration and Assault

The violence unfolded near the main gates of the Bangladesh Jute Mills in the Ghorashal municipal area. Hossain, a resident of Kaliganj in Gazipur and the son of Firoz Ali, had secured a commercial contract to supply sand for an ongoing construction project overseen by the TK Group within the mill compound. To facilitate the project, he had positioned a large industrial dredger along the banks of the nearby Shitalakshya River.

On Monday afternoon, Hossain concluded his routine site visit after distributing monthly wages to his dredging crew. As he commenced his journey home, four unidentified men riding motorcycles intercepted him on the public road. The assailants forcibly bundled Hossain onto a motorcycle and transported him directly to Chishtia’s private residence. For over an hour, the merchant was held captive in a room where Chishtia and half a dozen accomplices subjected him to a relentless barrage of punches, kicks, and slaps.

The complete bypass of local law enforcement by political figures highlights the persistent vulnerabilities faced by independent business operators in industrial zones.

Extortion Over Territorial Dominance

The motive behind the targeted assault appears rooted in political extortion and territorial control over local riverine trade. During the beating, the BNP leader reportedly demanded to know why the industrial dredger had been installed along the Shitalakshya River without his prior explicit authorisation and financial clearance. In a fit of rage, Chishtia lunged at the businessman, biting his ear until it bled profusely.

Before releasing the severely injured trader, the gang issued strict ultimatums, threatening Hossain with further physical elimination if he failed to dismantle his dredging equipment and abandon the commercial site immediately. Following his release, a bloodied Hossain was rushed to the local government hospital by relatives.

When approached by journalists for a formal statement regarding the allegations, Chishtia refused to address the specific criminal charges, stating only that he was occupied with a political event and would offer a detailed explanation at a later date. Meanwhile, Shahed Al-Mamun, the Officer-in-Charge of Palash Police Station, stated that a police team had been dispatched to the upazila health complex to assess the victim’s condition. The police chief added that whilst a formal written complaint is yet to be lodged by the victim’s family, law enforcement will initiate immediate legal proceedings the moment a formal deposition is received.