Ershad Sikder

{{Infobox serial killer

| name = Ershad Sikder

| alias = "Ranga chora" (White thief)

| image = ErshadSikderImage.jpg

| caption = Ershad Shikder in police custody

| birth_date = 1955

| birth_place = Madargona village, Nalchity Upazila, Bangladesh (Then East Pakistan)

| death_date = {{death date and age|2004|05|10|1955|df=y}}

| death_place = Khulna District Jail, Bangladesh

| cause = Execution by hanging

| conviction = Murder x7
Robbery
Extortion
Theft

| sentence = Death plus four life sentences

| victims = 60+

| beginyear = 1991

| endyear = 1999

| country = Bangladesh

| states =

| apprehended = 1999

| imprisoned =

| criminal_status = Executed

}}

Ershad Sikder ({{langx|bn|এরশাদ শিকদার}}; 1955 – 10 May 2004) was a Bangladeshi politician, criminal, and serial killer, known for committing various crimes such as murder, torture, theft, robbery and others.{{cite web |url=http://www.humanrights-china.org/zt/international/200402004115162018.htm |title=373 persons hanged so far in Bangladesh |website=China's Human Rights |archive-url=https://archive.today/20131216124401/http://www.humanrights-china.org/zt/international/200402004115162018.htm |archive-date=2013-12-16}}{{Cite news |url=http://www.asiantribune.com/node/67211 |title=Letter from America: Thoughts on Bangladesh – 6 |work=Asian Tribune |access-date=10 December 2015 |archive-date=11 May 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150511201523/http://asiantribune.com/node/67211 |url-status=dead}} He was sentenced to death for murder, and subsequently executed on 10 May 2004.{{cite news |title=Ershad Shikdar to be hanged on May 10 |url=http://www.thedailystar.net/2004/04/21/d40421011818.htm |work=The Daily Star |date=21 April 2004}}

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.{{cite news |script-title=bn:এরশাদ শিকদার |trans-title=Ershad Sikder |url=http://www.bd-pratidin.com/2013/12/15/32247 |work=Bangladesh Pratidin |date=15 December 2013 |language=bn |access-date=2 March 2019 |archive-date=17 December 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131217234137/http://www.bd-pratidin.com/2013/12/15/32247 |url-status=dead}} 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.{{Cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/3702003.stm |title=Bangladesh serial killer hanged |work=BBC News |access-date=10 December 2015}} 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 as his relations to killing Khalid Hossain on May 15, 1999,{{Cite news |date=2004-05-10 |title=Bangladesh serial killer hanged |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/3702003.stm |access-date=2024-08-13 |language=en-GB}} another member of Awami league, was revealed to the public by his right-hand man and bodyguard Rajasakshi Nure Alam. 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.{{fact|date=August 2024}}

It is also known that he used the ice factory as his torture centre. Ershad was accused of more than 60 murders, together with one of his collaborators, Rajasakshi Nure Alam. The latter later gave a statement in court describing 24 killings, further claiming that Sikder had more than 70 victims, although only one weapon was recovered from his house, known as the "Swarnakamal".{{fact|date=August 2024}}

= Personal life =

Sikder was married six times. His first wife was Khodeja Begum, whom he married in 1973. Another wives included Sanjida Akter Shobha, Taslima of Rupsha Rajapur village, Farida of Bagerhat, Rampal Upazila; another unknown wife and Durgargaire of Paikgacha. Nure Alam also alleged that his wife Hira was tortured by Ershad.{{fact|date=August 2024}}

Ershad's first wife Khodeja gave birth to three sons and a daughter. After his arrest, a fifth child, a daughter, was to his second wife, Sanjida Nahar Shova.{{Cite news |title=Notorious Ershad Sikder's daughter found dead in Gulshan flat - National |url=https://www.observerbd.com/news.php?id=355866 |access-date=2022-11-07 |work=The Daily Observer}} This daughter committed suicide on 4 March 2022 in Gulshan.{{Cite news |title=Ershad Sikder's daughter found dead in Gulshan |url=https://www.newagebd.net/article/164399/ershad-sikders-daughter-found-dead-in-gulshan-flat |access-date=2022-11-07 |work=New Age |language=en}}{{Cite news |title=Body of Ershad Sikder's daughter found hanged in Dhaka |url=https://en.prothomalo.com/bangladesh/city/hanging-body-of-ershad-sikders-daughter-recovered-in-dhaka |access-date=2022-11-07 |work=Prothom Alo |language=en}}

Arrest and death

Sikder was arrested in 1999, with 43 cases filed under his name.{{Cite web |url=http://www.clcbd.org/201104054517/state-vs-ershad-ali-sikder-and-others-2004-4517.html |title=State Vs. Ershad Ali Sikder and others, 2004, 33 CLC (AD) |website=Chancery Law Chronicles |access-date=10 December 2015 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20131216124515/http://www.clcbd.org/201104054517/state-vs-ershad-ali-sikder-and-others-2004-4517.html |archive-date=2013-12-16}} 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 against 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.{{Cite news |title=President rejects Ershad Sikder's mercy petition |url=https://archive.thedailystar.net/2004/04/20/d40420012727.htm |access-date=2022-11-07 |work=The Daily Star}}{{Cite news |url=http://www.news24.com/World/News/Bangladesh-killer-hanged-20040511 |title=Bangladesh killer hanged |website=News24 |access-date=10 December 2015}} He was imprisoned in Khulna District Jail.{{Cite news |title=Khulna jail raises 'false' alarm |url=https://archive.thedailystar.net/2004/04/23/d40423100971.htm |access-date=2022-11-07 |work=The Daily Star}} Fazlur Rahman, police inspector of Jhikargachha Police Station, bought his house in Khulna. This prompted an investigation by the ministry of Home Affairs in April 2004.{{Cite news |title=Cop's purchase of Sikder's house under govt lens |url=http://archive.thedailystar.net/2004/04/30/d40430012323.htm |access-date=2021-04-15 |work=The Daily Star}}

In 2005, former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina identified the arrest of Sikder as evidence of the judiciary functioning to Asma Jahangir and criticised the government of Bangladesh for using Rapid Action Battalion to kill criminals extrajudicially.{{Cite news |title=Hasina, Asma discuss HR situation |url=https://archive.thedailystar.net/2005/01/17/d50117013125.htm |access-date=2022-11-07 |work=The Daily Star}}

Popular culture

In 2004 a Bangladeshi biographical thriller film, Khuni Shikder, was directed by Monowar Hossain Khokon. Shakib Khan played the titular role of Sikder.{{Cite web |date=2019-09-04 |title=সত্য ঘটনা অবলম্বনে নির্মিত ১০টি বাংলাদেশি সিনেমা • sylhetmail24.com |url=https://www.sylhetmail24.com/%E0%A6%B8%E0%A6%A4%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%AF-%E0%A6%98%E0%A6%9F%E0%A6%A8%E0%A6%BE-%E0%A6%85%E0%A6%AC%E0%A6%B2%E0%A6%AE%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%AC%E0%A6%A8%E0%A7%87-%E0%A6%A8%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%B0%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%AE/4602/ |access-date=2022-07-28 |website= |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190904201608/https://www.sylhetmail24.com/%E0%A6%B8%E0%A6%A4%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%AF-%E0%A6%98%E0%A6%9F%E0%A6%A8%E0%A6%BE-%E0%A6%85%E0%A6%AC%E0%A6%B2%E0%A6%AE%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%AC%E0%A6%A8%E0%A7%87-%E0%A6%A8%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%B0%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%AE/4602/ |archive-date=4 September 2019 |url-status=dead}}

A song by Abdus Sattar Mohonto, titled "Ami To More Jabo" meaning "I will be dead" in Bengali, has been popularized throughout the country as Sikder's song.{{cite news |title=Orchestra presents Sritimoy |url=http://www.newagebd.com/2005/jun/20/time.html |work=New Age |date=20 June 2005 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070928005943/http://www.newagebd.com/2005/jun/20/time.html |archive-date=28 September 2007}}

Kal Bhairaber Ghat, a book by Indian author Binod Ghoshal, based on the life of Ershad Sikder was published in 2020.{{Cite web |script-title=bn:কাল ভৈরবের ঘাট: বাস্তব খুনীর কাল্পনিক অটোবায়োগ্রাফি |url=https://roar.media/bangla/main/book-movie/kal-voirober-ghat |access-date=2022-07-28 |website=roar.media |date=9 March 2022 |language=bn}}