Bangladesh
A Farmer’s Last Refuge in a Legal Trap: ‘Suicide’ Under Debt Pressure Sparks Intense Stir in Chandina
A shadow of sorrow has fallen over Kamarkhola village in Chandina, Cumilla. This is the story of Mahbub Alam Rubel, a farmer by profession and the president of his local Krishi Dal ward unit. His life seemed to follow a straight path until a web of old debt and a lawsuit ensnared him.
On Saturday (June 28), Rubel, 41, breathed his last while undergoing treatment at Cumilla Medical College Hospital. Allegations have surfaced that his ‘suicide’ was driven by relentless pressure from local BNP leader Gazi Hasan Mahmud Hanif.
The story begins further back—in 2001, Rubel separated from his brother, Mofiz. Then, in 2016, Mofiz and Hanif engaged in a financial transaction involving fish feed. When Mofiz couldn’t repay the money, he eventually left the village for a relative’s house in Barguna, where he tragically died of a heart attack on August 5, 2024.
But the narrative took a dark turn after Mofiz’s death. Hanif targeted Rubel to recover his outstanding debt and filed a lawsuit against him in court. Rubel’s wife, Rehena Begum, alleges that for the past 15 days, Hanif had been exerting such immense pressure that Rubel couldn’t even leave the house. A barrage of threats, fear of more lawsuits—even money for household groceries became scarce.
Under this unbearable pressure, Rubel seemingly sought his last refuge. On Saturday morning at around 9:30 AM, he consumed poison at his home. But his final words were preserved in a mobile phone recording. In it, Rubel spoke of Hanif’s ‘torture,’ even mentioning Hanif’s pressure to file false cases against Awami League members. He stated in the recording that he sought justice from various respectable individuals, including the Chandina Upazila BNP President, but found no remedy. He also mentioned someone named ‘Farid’ as the ‘mastermind’ behind these events. Rubel’s last plea was for the police to conduct a fair investigation into the incident.
Although the accused Hanif has denied the allegations against him, and the Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Chandina Police Station stated that they have not yet received any formal complaint, this incident has cast a profound question mark over Kamarkhola village and indeed, all of Chandina. Is this tragic end for an innocent farmer merely the result of debt pressure, or does it hide a deeper political or social context? The full truth may only emerge after a thorough investigation.
Bangladesh’s High Court has upheld the death sentences of former police officials Pradeep Kumar Das and Liaqat Ali in the murder of retired Major Sinha Md Rashed Khan, describing Pradeep as the “mastermind” and principal planner of the killing. The 378-page verdict, delivered on 2 June, was uploaded to the Supreme Court website on 23 November.
The court observed that Pradeep was present at the scene and pressed his shoe-clad foot on Sinha’s chest and neck, ensuring his death—an allegation supported by witness testimonies and the post-mortem report. The court further noted that Liaqat Ali fired four shots at the unarmed victim in a premeditated manner, causing his death.
Stating that the trial court had correctly applied Section 302 of the Penal Code, the High Court upheld the earlier sentences: death for Pradeep and Liaqat, and life imprisonment for six others found guilty of conspiracy, aiding the crime, and sharing a common intention.
Major Sinha was shot dead at a police checkpoint in Shamlapur on 31 July 2020. The Cox’s Bazar court delivered the initial verdict on 31 January 2022. Following procedure, the death reference was sent to the High Court, while the convicts also filed appeals. With the High Court verdict now affirmed, the defence is expected to appeal to the Appellate Division once the certified copy is received.
Two people, including a van driver, were killed after a passenger bus struck a van in Chuadanga Sadar’s Alokdia Bazar on Sunday afternoon. Two others were injured, with both critically wounded victims transferred to Rajshahi Medical College Hospital.
The deceased were identified as Parveen Akhter, 45, of Monirampur village in Alokdia Union, and van driver Ramzan Ali, 26, who later died on the way to the hospital. The injured—Israt from Rajapur and Shabdul from Jhenaidah’s Kotchandpur—remain under treatment.
According to police, the bus was travelling from Chuadanga to Meherpur when it rammed into the van from behind at Alokdia Bazar. One of the van passengers died on the spot. Rescue teams transported the injured to Chuadanga Sadar Hospital, from where two were referred to Rajshahi due to their critical condition.
Additional Police Superintendent Mostafizur Rahman said legal procedures are underway and the bodies will be handed over to the families. The bus driver fled the scene after the accident.
Authorities in Meherpur have fined Nivalak Paints Bangladesh Ltd. Tk 200,000 for illegally producing paint. The penalty was imposed during a joint operation conducted by the Directorate of National Consumer Rights Protection and RAB on Sunday afternoon.
Mamunul Hasan, Assistant Director of the Consumer Rights Directorate in Meherpur, said the factory had been producing paint without proper authorization for an extended period. During the raid, officials found evidence supporting the violation and imposed the fine accordingly.
The same operation also penalized two other establishments: Shahin Traders was fined Tk 15,000 for selling oil and gas without a valid license, while New Bengal Foods was fined Tk 5,000 for producing bakery items in an unhygienic environment.
RAB-12 Meherpur Company Commander Lt. Wahiduzzaman and Food Safety Officer Riaz Mahmud were also present during the operation,
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