A union-level leader of the ruling Bangladesh Nationalist Party was beaten to death by his fellow leaders and activists over an intra-party feud at Charghat upazila in Rajshahi on Friday night.

The deceased is Ershad Ali, 65, a resident of Sipaipara village under Yusufpur union of the upazila.

Ershad, a member of Yusufpur union BNP, is a follower of Abu Sayeed Chand, the BNP lawmaker for the Rajshahi-6 (Bagha-Charghat) constituency.

Following the killing, Ershad’s son filed a murder case with Charghat police station, accusing nine BNP leaders and activists, including Anwar Hossain Ujjal, a former vice-president of the Rajshahi district unit of the BNP.

Charghat upazila BNP organising secretary Jahurul Islam Jibon, 48, was also made an accused in the case.

According to the case statement, there had been a long-standing dispute over establishing supremacy in the area between supporters of Ujjal and those of Chand.

Tension escalated on Friday afternoon during a discussion meeting at Yousufpur Sipaipara Jame Mosque regarding the selection of a chief guest for an upcoming religious gathering scheduled for April 9.

During the meeting, an altercation broke out during which Ujjal’s supporters allegedly threatened Chand’s supporters of dire consequences.

When Ershad protested, the accused allegedly became aggressive, prompting him to leave the mosque, the case statement read.

Later that night, while Ershad Ali was returning home at about 9:30pm after offering prayers, the accused, armed with bamboo sticks, iron rods and tree branches, beat him to death.

District BNP convener and lawmaker Abu Sayeed Chand condemned the killing and blamed Ujjal and his men for the killing.

Anwar Hossain Ujjal, however, denied his involvement and claimed that he had been in Dhaka for the past six days.

Charghat police station sub-inspector Sirajul Islam said the case had been recorded, but no arrests had been made yet.