Ershad Sikder

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Ershad Sikder
ErshadSikderImage.jpg
Born1955
Madargona village, Nalchity Upazila, Bangladesh
Died(2004-05-10)10 May 2004
Khulna District Jail, Bangladesh
Cause of deathExecuted by hanging
Other names"Ranga Chora"
Conviction(s)Murder, crime, robbery, extortion, theft
Criminal penaltyDeath
Details
Victims60+
Span of crimes
1991–1999
CountryBangladesh
Date apprehended
1999

Ershad Sikder (Born on 1955 - died on 10 May 2004) was a Bangladeshi criminal and serial killer, known for committing various crimes such as murder, torture, theft, robbery and others.[1][2] He was sentenced to death for murder, and subsequently executed on 10 May 2004.[3]

A song by Abdus Sattar Mohantan, titled "I will be dead", has been popularized throughout the country as Sikder's song.[4]

Biography[]

Early life[]

Sikder was born in the Madargona village of Nalchity Upazila, Jhalokati District. His father was Bande Ali. Between 1966 and 1967, Sikder moved from his birthplace to the Khulna District.[5] After arriving in Khulna, Ershad worked as a railway worker for some time. From there, he began gradually robbing along the railway lines and joined a gang. Later, he formed his own gang and earned the name Ranga Chora from the locals.

Between 1976 and 1977, he formed another gang named Ramada Bahini, which was involved in theft, robberies and terrorist activities along the Khulna Railway Station and the Ghat area. Together with his gang, Ershad occupied the 4th and 5th areas of Ghat, making it his exclusive regulator.

Entry into politics[]

In 1982, after the rise of former president Hussain Muhammad Ershad, Sikder entered politics through the Jatiya Party.[6] In the 1988 election during the military rule, Sikder was elected as the Commissioner of Ward 8. After forming the BNP government in 1991, Sikder joined it. On 26 December 1996, he again changed his party to the Awami League, but soon after being criticized, he was expelled. At the time of his 1999 arrest, he was still the Commissioner of Ward 8.

Criminal acts and murders[]

After entering politics, Sikder's power grew. From 1984 to 1986, he was involved in the possession of Khulna properties, occupying private property, the drug trade, extortion and other criminal activities. In 1991, he drove out the owner of an ice factory named Rafiq, from the 4th Ghat area, appropriated the ice factory and forced all traders to buy ice from him.

It is also known that he used the ice factory as his torture center. Ershad was accused of more than 60 murders, together with one of his collaborators, Rajasakshi Nure Alam. The latter later gave a statement in the court describing 24 killings, further claiming that Sikder has more than 70 victims, although only one weapon was recovered from his house, known as the "Swarnakamal".

Personal life[]

It is known that Sikder was married six times. His first wife was Khodeja Begum, whom he married in 1973. Another wife, named Sanjida Akter Shobha, received a luxurious gold house. Aside from them, there were a Taslima of Rupsha Rajapur village, a Farida of Bagerhat, Rampal Upazila; another unknown wife and a Durgargaire of Pyakgacha. Nure Alam also alleged that his wife Hira was tortured by Ershad.

Ershad's first wife Khodeja gave birth to four children: three sons and a daughter. After his arrest, a fifth child was born, a girl named Jannatul Noorin Emily Essa.

Arrest and death[]

Sikder was arrested in 1999, with 43 cases filed under his name.[7] During a trial at the lower court, he was sentenced to death in seven murder cases, along with additional four life sentences. He tried to appeal the decision by writing a petition to President Iajuddin Ahmed, but he rejected the appeal, and Sikder was executed at the Khulna Central jail on 10 May 2004.[3][8] Fazlur Rahman, Police inspector and Jhikargachha Police Station, bought his house in Khulna. This prompted an investigation by the ministry of Home Affairs in April 2004.[9]

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ humanrights-china.org, February, 2004
  2. ^ "Letter from America: Thoughts on Bangladesh – 6". Asian Tribune. Retrieved 10 December 2015.
  3. ^ a b "Ershad Shikdar to be hanged on May 10". The Daily Star. 21 April 2004.
  4. ^ "Orchestra presents Sritimoy". New Age. 20 June 2005. Archived from the original on 28 September 2007.
  5. ^ এরশাদ শিকদার [Ershad Sikder]. Bangladesh Pratidin (in Bengali). 15 December 2013.
  6. ^ "Bangladesh serial killer hanged". BBC News. Retrieved 10 December 2015.
  7. ^ S.M. Saidur Rahman. "Chancery Law Chronicles - Login". Retrieved 10 December 2015.
  8. ^ "Bangladesh killer hanged". News24. Retrieved 10 December 2015.
  9. ^ "Cop's purchase of Sikder's house under govt lens". archive.thedailystar.net. The Daily Star. Retrieved 2021-04-15.
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