Supporters of Jubo Dal staged a protest over the murder of the organisation's leader, Rubel Hossain, in Jashore last night and torched the house of the main suspect.
Rubel, 38, joint general secretary of Bandabila Union Jubo Dal, was hacked to death in broad daylight around 11:30am in front of Khajura Filling Station in Bagherpara upazila.
According to police, the half-hour demonstration was held in the evening on the Jashore-Magura highway near the Khajura petrol pump.
After the protest, a group of demonstrators set fire to the house of the main suspect, Rabbi, a resident of Telidhanyapara village, said Bagherpara Police Station Officer-in-Charge Shahjalal Alam.
Police and fire service personnel later brought the blaze under control, he said.
Protesters demanded the immediate arrest and exemplary punishment of all those involved in the killing.
Police suspect a longstanding personal feud led to the murder.
According to police and local residents, Rubel was standing in front of the petrol pump around 11:00am when Rabbi and three or four others confronted him. An altercation ensued, during which Rabbi allegedly stabbed Rubel multiple times before fleeing.
Locals rushed the critically injured Rubel to Jashore General Hospital around noon, where doctors declared him dead.
After an autopsy, police handed over the body to his family later in the evening.
Rubel's mother, Firoza Begum, claimed that Rabbi and several local youths had been gathering at the field of Telidhanyapara Ulumul Hafezia Quran Madrasa over the past week. After a madrasa teacher asked them not to loiter there, Rabbi allegedly threatened the teacher. Rubel later slapped Rabbi over the incident, she claimed, adding that Rabbi had since been threatening to take revenge.
Rubel's brother, Rajib Hossain, alleged that several other youths accompanied Rabbi on two or three motorcycles during the attack.
OC Shahjalal Alam said police are investigating the motive behind the killing. The main suspect has been absconding since the incident, and multiple police teams are conducting raids to detain him. Legal proceedings are underway, he said.
