‘Tried a lot to save him, but failed’

“The goons killed my husband right in front of me. I tried a lot to save him, but I failed. Not a single person came forward to help us when the attack took place,” Ayesha Siddiqua, wife of the slain youth in Barguna, told journalists today as she wept remembering the horrific incident.

Ayesha’s husband Rifat Sharif, 25, was brutally murdered by two men who launched an attack on the couple, armed with sharp weapons, in broad daylight yesterday in Barguna town.

A video of the entire incident went viral after it was captured possibly on a mobile phone, showing the attack on the youth in front of Barguna Government College around 10:30 am yesterday, where Rifat went to drop-off his wife.  

Afterwards, locals and eyewitnesses identified the assailants as Nayan and Rifat Farajee. Both were engaged in various crimes such as drug dealing and mugging.

While talking to journalists today, Ayesha claimed that Nayan, Rishan Farajee and Rifat Farajee were behind the attack.

“Nayan used to stalk and harass me often, asking me to get involved in a relationship with him. Even after my marriage, he continued to stalk me at different places, and threatened me not to inform about these to my family,” she alleged.

Meanwhile, the victim’s father Abdul Halim lodged a case last night with Barguna Sadar Police Station over the barbaric killing, accusing 12 persons.

One of the accused -- Chandan, 30, -- has been arrested, police said.

Police are conducting drives to arrest the rest of the accused.

Shafiqul Islam, deputy inspector general (DIG) of police (Barishal Division), visited the spot this morning.

Talking to the journalists, DIG Shafiqul said all those involved in the brutal murder will be nabbed and brought to the book.

The only son of his parents, Rifat was known in the locality as a good person, neighbours said, demanding justice for his murder.

Rifat’s mother Daisy Akhter was found wailing with the grief and shock over the death of her son in such a gruesome manner.

In the video of the incident that made rounds in the social media yesterday, Ayesha was seen screaming as she desperately tries to stave off two men attacking her husband Rifat with sharp weapons.

She tried to hold back one of the attackers, while the other continues to hack her husband, Rifat Sharif, 25.

At one point, Rifat broke free of his attackers. While his wife Ayesha clung onto an attacker, Rifat fought the other one off with what appeared to be a red shopping bag.

But it is too late. By then, his white shirt had turned into a bloody rag.

In the ensuing struggle, Ayesha dropped her purse and forcefully pushed back one of the attackers. The two attackers then threw one last chop at Rifat and ran away.

Although the last image of Rifat showed him bloodied but standing, he was later pronounced dead at Barishal Sher-E-Bangla Medical College Hospital (BSMCH) at 3:30 pm yesterday after he was rushed there for treatment.

In the video, bystanders were seen at a distance the whole time. They did not intervene, except one man in a striped polo, whose gestures could not be interpreted.