A local BNP leader in Sylhet died while undergoing treatment after being assaulted over a minor dispute. The incident occurred on Wednesday afternoon in the Pirer Bazar area of Sadar upazila, and he passed away at the hospital on Thursday morning.

The deceased, 65-year-old Abdur Rahman, was the general secretary of the Khadimpara Union BNP and a resident of Pirer Bazar.

According to locals and police sources, a young man named Suman Ahmed was urinating beside the Pirer Bazar roadside on Wednesday afternoon when Abdur Rahman happened to pass by. A verbal altercation broke out over the matter. At one point, Rahman’s son stepped in and assaulted Suman. In retaliation, Suman reportedly struck Abdur Rahman on the head with a brick. Both were later admitted to Sylhet MAG Osmani Medical College Hospital with injuries. Rahman died on Thursday morning while receiving treatment. After the autopsy, his body was handed over to his family.

Later in the evening, around 8:30 p.m., residents of the area staged a protest in Pirer Bazar demanding the arrest of the person responsible after Rahman’s burial.

Mohammad Saiful Islam, Additional Deputy Commissioner (Media) of Sylhet Metropolitan Police, said that Suman fled from the hospital. As of 8:30 p.m., no case had been filed. He added that police had calmed the protesters and restored order, and efforts were underway to locate and arrest the suspect.