Between 6 and 26+ killed

Monday, 10 May, 2004

One of the most notorious serial killers in Bangladeshi history has been hanged, and his body will soon be handed over to his family.

Ershad Sikder was an influential political figure in the south-western city of Khulna before his arrest five years ago on a murder case.

He was also accused in more than 30 other criminal cases mostly for killing political or business rivals.

Ershad Sikder's rise from poor labourer to rich man in Khulna symbolises the dreadful state of Bangladeshi politics.

According to the court records, he amassed thousands of dollars by criminal muscle power, and then used that money to buy political influence.

Residents of Khulna say his lavishly decorated home in the city and his business establishments were frequented by the leaders of all major political parties.

A witness to the murder told the BBC that he beat Khalid Hossain mercilessly, and at one point jumped on his chest, breaking all his bones. His bodyguard also testified that Sikder was responsible for more than 20 other murders.

Ershad Sikder was convicted by the trial court in six other murder cases and his appeals against the verdicts were pending before the higher court.

The Bangladeshi president refused to entertain his mercy petition in the Khalid murder case, clearing the way for his hanging.

Ershad Sikder: End of serial killer

By Staff Reporter - The New Nation

Mon, 10 May 2004

Notorious convicted criminal and serial killer Ershad Sikder, who murdered at least 60 people in his lifetime, was scheduled to be hanged till death at one minute past midnight last night in Khulna District Jail amidst tight security.

Three hangmen, earlier brought from Dhaka Central Jail, will perform the responsibility of hanging Ershad Sikder to death for murdering Khalid Hossain, a local Juba League leader at Skidghat under Khulna Police Station on May 16, 1999.

The jail authorities deployed six platoons of special armed forces of Khulna Metropolitan Police (KMP) inside and outside the Khulna District Jail, declaring red alert around the entire jail area from yesterday morning till the handover of Sikder's body to his family members this morning. All the roads, lanes and by-lanes adjacent to the jail area were sealed off for 24 hours, from 6am yesterday to 6am today (Tuesday).

Jailer Farman Ali of Khulna District Jail informed Ershad Sikder about his hanging at 10 o'clock last night, said Khulna Jail Superintendent Farhad Mia. Immediately afterwards, six armed men started guarding Ershad to ensure he did not create anything untoward. He then took his bathe and offered confession. Imam of the Khulna Jail was present at that time.

Ershad was scheduled to be brought out of the condemned cell five minutes before his hanging. He will be taken to the hanging platform by three hangmen--Hafizuddin, Shahjahan Bhuiyan and Hares Mia. Then Ershad wore the new dresses of jail detainees

His body will be handed over to his elder brother and younger sister this morning according to his last wishes. The body is scheduled to be buried at Tootpara graveyard in the afternoon.

Meanwhile, Ershad's close relatives went to jail yesterday in two groups to meet him for the last time.

The first group, led by Ershad's first wife Khodeja Begum met with him inside the jail in the morning. However, Ershad became furious at one stage seeing his wife Khodeja. He complained that he was going to be hanged because Khodeja did not pursue his mercy petition properly. Ershad also asked his first wife to hand over his body to his elder brother Ashraf Ali Sikder alias Bara Mia and younger sister Selina Khatun for burial.

Another group of relatives, led by the second wife Sanjida Nahar Shova, went to meet Ershad inside the jail immediately after the first group left the jail. However, Ershad declined to meet with them.

According to the last wishes of Ershad, his body will be handed over to his brother and sister this morning at the jail gate.

Ershad Sikder, whose emergence took place during the rule of former president Husayn Muhammad Ershad during 1980s, turned into a dreaded killer and violent criminal. He later joined the BNP and also the Awami League with the changing of the governments.

Ershad became a millionaire with the direct support and cooperation of local politicians, bureaucrats and police officials. This notorious criminal was used by the politicians whenever they needed. He even did not know how many people were brutally killed by him.

In order to run his criminal syndicate, he used to pay huge amount of money regularly to many police officials of Khulna. If the matter is investigated, many sensational information will get revealed. Ershad Sikder was elected ward commissioner of Khulna City Corporation twice. He set up a torturing cell at his ice factory.

He was arrested on August 11, 1999 immediately after the killing of Juba League leader Khalid Hossain. Although he had succeeded to get relief from 18 cases, he was given death sentences in seven cases. Even, the President rejected his mercy petition.

Ershad Sikder left huge property and cash. These are: a luxury house, named 'Swarnakamal' on a 10-katha of land at Sonadanga Residential Area in Khulna, three high-rise buildings in Dhaka city, fixed deposits worth Tk 7 crore, gold jewlleries weighing more than 100 tolas and other property in the name of his wives, sons and daughter. The huge property and cash left by the serial killer have now become an issue of conflict among the family members after his death.

Bangladesh serial killer hanged

By Waliur Rahman - BBC correspondent in Khulna

May 10, 2004

One of the most notorious serial killers in Bangladeshi history has been hanged, and his body will soon be handed over to his family.

Ershad Sikder was an influential political figure in the south-western city of Khulna before his arrest five years ago on a murder case.

He was also accused in more than 30 other criminal cases mostly for killing political or business rivals.

He was a member of both main political parties throughout his criminal career.

Criminal muscle

Ershad Sikder's rise from poor labourer to rich man in Khulna symbolises the dreadful state of Bangladeshi politics.

According to the court records, he amassed thousands of dollars by criminal muscle power, and then used that money to buy political influence.

He first joined the Jatiya Party of former military ruler Hussein Muhammad Ershad and became a council member of the Khulna City Corporation in late 1980s.

After democracy was restored in early 1990s, Ershad Sikder joined the then governing party, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party.

But he swapped sides and joined the Awami League when it came to power a few years afterwards.

Residents of Khulna say his lavishly decorated home in the city and his business establishments were frequented by the leaders of all major political parties.

The politicians liked him more because he had a sizable private force, equipped with illegal weapons.

But his political mentors in the Awami League refused to back him when he killed one of their own men, Khalid Hossain, following his arrest five years ago.

Sikder's own bodyguard also betrayed him and gave a vivid description to the trial court of the gruesome way in which he killed the young political activist.

A witness to the murder told the BBC that he beat Khalid Hossain mercilessly, and at one point jumped on his chest, breaking all his bones.

His bodyguard also testified that Sikder was responsible for more than 20 other murders.

Ershad Sikder was convicted by the trial court in six other murder cases and his appeals against the verdicts were pending before the higher court.

However his death penalty in the Khalid murder case was confirmed by the country's Supreme Court.

The Bangladeshi president refused to entertain his mercy petition in the Khalid murder case, clearing the way for his hanging.

Ershad Sikdar's death sentence confirmed

December 14, 2003

The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court upheld the death sentence of Ershad Sikdar of Khulna who came to limelight through his gruesome murders, many in public, stands accused in 21 more murder cases.

The Appellate Division upheld the lower court's judgement in the murder of a Jubo League leader in Khulna, Khalid Hossain. The High Court confirmed the lower court's verdict on January 28 this year. Ershad also has six death penalties in as many cases.

On May 15, 1999, Ershad Sikdar and his accomplices killed Khalid at the ice factory in Khulna. Ershad can still file a review of the Appellate Division's verdict, said his lawyers. In case the review petition is rejected, he can file a mercy petition with the president. In the Khalid murder case, two of Ershad's accomplices -- Jamai Faruk and Liakat Laskar -- were given seven years in prison. The Appellate Division also upheld the penalty against them.