Jashore has witnessed a sharp rise in violent crime this month, with five people murdered and eight bodies recovered in separate incidents during the first 24 days of June, raising concerns over the district’s law and order situation.
Police say preliminary investigations point to a combination of drug trafficking, local power struggles, personal enmity, family disputes and financial disagreements as the principal motives behind the recent killings.
Investigators have already arrested several suspects, while special operations are continuing to identify and apprehend those still at large.
The latest incident occurred on Wednesday, when police recovered the throat-slit body of Sayeed Sardar, known locally as “Chashma Sayeed”, from a bush beside his home in Raghurampur village under Arabpur Union in Jashore Sadar.
Said, who had 14 criminal cases against him, including narcotics offences, had left home late on Tuesday night and failed to return. A bloodstained knife was recovered near the body.
Jashore Kotwali Police Station Officer-in-Charge Masum Khan said investigators believe the murder was linked to drug trafficking and disputes within criminal networks. He said police had identified those allegedly involved but were withholding their identities to avoid hampering the investigation.
Earlier, on 21 June, police recovered the throat-slit body of BNP activist Atiar Rahman, 55, from a canal beside the Ber Gobindapur baor in Chaugachha upazila.
Investigators said he was abducted on the night of 20 June after attempting to prevent fish theft from the waterbody before being killed and his body concealed beneath water hyacinths.
The Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) has since arrested the prime suspect, Mohammad Ali, from Savar in Dhaka. Two others — Osman and Sujauddin — have also been detained for questioning.
In another case, Riyaz Hossain, 29, was beaten and hacked to death on the playground of Dhalirgati Government Primary School in Abhaynagar upazila on the night of 17 June.
The victim had six criminal cases against him, including robbery and narcotics offences. Police have arrested three accused named in the case — Raju Ahmed, Fazlu Hossain and Obaidul Islam Manik.
On 18 June, police recovered the body of Taslima Khatun Moyna, 23, who was five months pregnant, from an under-construction room at her father’s home in Monirampur municipality. Her family alleged that her husband, Helal Uddin, killed her to marry another woman. Police have taken Helal and his stepfather into custody.
Another victim, Sahabir, 20, succumbed to his injuries at a Dhaka hospital on 22 June after being stabbed during a dispute over paddy prices in Bagharpara on 25 May.
On 9 June, police recovered the hanging bodies of Rebeka Khatun, 26, and her 18-month-old son, Sohrab Hossain, from Sharifpur village in Jhikargachha upazila. The family alleged the deaths were the result of a planned murder, and police have taken Rebeka’s husband, Jony Mia, into custody.
In a separate incident during the same period, Imamul Hossain, 45, was hacked to death in Monirampur after protesting against the alleged harassment of his granddaughter.
Jashore Superintendent of Police Syed Rafiqul Islam said every murder and body recovery was being investigated with the highest priority. He said detectives had made significant progress in several cases, with key suspects already arrested, while intelligence surveillance and special operations had been intensified across the district.
RAB-6 Jashore Camp Company Commander Major Fazle Rabbi Prince said most of the recent killings stemmed from family disputes and personal enmity, although drug-related violence had also featured in several cases.
He said RAB would continue its regular drives to arrest those responsible and maintain law and order across the district.
