Burned to death in Muktagacha: ‘Farhad was receiving threats for taking part in protests’

Farhad Hossain Jony (35), was a familiar face in Muktagacha, Mymensingh, for protesting various social issues. He was the central organiser of an organisation called ‘Bekar Mukti Kormosongsthan’ and president of its Mymensingh chapter. He was also seen at a human chain at the National Press Club in the capital last Tuesday.

The next day, miscreants poured petrol over him and set him on fire in front of his home in Muktagacha. The young man died at a hospital yesterday, Thursday. He had informed police about the attack before his death. People close to him said Farhad had been receiving threats for some time and had been told to stop his protest activities.

How the killing happened

The incident took place on Wednesday night. Farhad was attacked in front of his rented home in the Madhyahishya area of Muktagacha municipal town.

Farhad was the son of Abdus Sattar of the area. He sold vegetables. He also ran a grocery shop at Madhyahishya intersection. He had announced his intention to contest the last national parliamentary election. However, he could not submit his nomination form on time. He had said so in a video posted on Facebook.

According to his wife Runa Akter, Farhad was sitting on the veranda of their home and talking on the phone on Wednesday night. Two people called him from outside the gate. Soon after he went outside, they poured petrol over his body and set him on fire.

Burned and screaming, Farhad ran to a nearby salon and asked for help. Salon owner Chan Mohan said, “Farhad ran in front of my salon and was shouting, ‘Brother, save me.’ There were no clothes on his body at the time. He asked for a lungi. I gave him a towel. Later, people came and arranged to take him to the hospital.”

At the time, Farhad’s father Sattar was sitting at a shop a short distance from the salon and drinking tea. “I suddenly heard people shouting and went there. I saw my son lying there burned. With the help of people, I took him to the upazila health complex. Later, he was sent to Mymensingh Medical College Hospital,” Sattar said.

The young man died at Mymensingh Medical College Hospital on Thursday afternoon.

‘He was receiving threats for being vocal in protests’

Farhad had been vocal in the area against drugs and for employment opportunities for the unemployed. His father Abdus Sattar said Farhad had been receiving threats over these activities for some time. Md Hanif, head of ‘Bekar Mukti Kormosongsthan’, also said the same.

Hanif is known as ‘Hanif Bangladeshi’. He has a Facebook page under this name. He made several posts about Farhad yesterday. Hanif told Agamir Somoy that they had held a human chain in front of the National Press Club in the capital last Tuesday. The program was organised demanding justice for the recent beating death of an SB police member in Savar.

Farhad was seen speaking at the human chain in a video. The event was also reported by several news outlets. Hanif said this was Farhad’s final protest. He was killed the following day.

Farhad had long been vocal against drugs in Muktagacha. After joining Hanif’s organisation, he participated in various programs demanding employment opportunities for unemployed people. His last participation was in a human chain in the area last month, Hanif said.

He told Agamir Somoy, “Farhad had recently been telling me that he was receiving various threats in the area. He was being told to stop these activities by calling them ‘antigovernment activities’. When I asked who was saying these things, he did not specifically name anyone. However, they were people from the area. I believe he was brutally burned to death because of his protest activities.”

Farhad had opened a vegetable shop at the local market a few days ago. Hanif said Farhad had told him that he had to close it because of the threats.

Farhad’s father Abdus Sattar said Farhad had posted a video on Facebook a few months ago about the theft of bags of documents from the Muktagacha Land Office. Two people named Rubel and Rafiq who were allegedly involved in the theft are now in jail in a drug case.

“Rubel’s nephew Momen came to our home about 20 days ago and threatened to beat Farhad. Farhad also had a dispute with someone from the neighboring house over a drug related incident. Drug gatherings were often held at that house,” he said.

However, Sattar said he could not determine exactly why his son was burned to death in this way.

What police said

Muktagacha Police Station SI Nazmul Hossain said yesterday that he spoke to Farhad in the ambulance while he was burned and in critical condition.

“He said two people attacked him from behind. One poured petrol over his body and the other set him on fire with a matchstick. But he could not identify them because they were wearing masks. He also could not say why this happened. He was in no condition to talk any further. His condition was very bad.”

Police Station OC Kamrul Islam said he was still unsure whether the attack was linked to Farhad’s involvement in various protest activities. He said, “Farhad described the incident to police at the hospital before his death. However, he could not provide the names or identities of the attackers.”

Police have already started working to determine the motive for the killing and identify the attackers. Farhad’s family is preparing to file a murder case. OC Kamrul said the body would be handed over to the relatives on Friday after an autopsy.