>Haunted Spy at 19:10, 9 January 2022

2022-01-09T19:10:22Z

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{{short description|Bangladeshi criminal and serial killer}}
{{Infobox serial killer
| name = Ershad Sikder
| alias = "Ranga Chora"
| image = ErshadSikderImage.jpg
| birth_date = 1955
| birth_place = Madargona village, [[Nalchity Upazila]], [[Bangladesh]]
| death_date = {{death date|2004|05|10|df=y}}
| death_place = [[Khulna District]] Jail, Bangladesh
| cause = [[Execution by hanging]]
| conviction = Murder, crime, robbery, extortion, theft
| sentence = Death
| victims = 60+
| beginyear = 1991
| endyear = 1999
| country = Bangladesh
| states =
| apprehended = 1999
| imprisoned =
}}
'''Ershad Sikder''' (1955 – 10 May 2004) was a [[Bangladesh]]i criminal and [[serial killer]], known for committing various crimes such as murder, torture, theft, robbery and others.<ref>[http://www.humanrights-china.org/zt/international/200402004115162018.htm humanrights-china.org, February, 2004]</ref><ref>{{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}}</ref> He was sentenced to death for murder, and subsequently executed on 10 May 2004.<ref name="dstar">{{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}}</ref>

A song by Abdus Sattar Mohantan, titled "I will be dead", has been popularized throughout the country as Sikder's song.<ref name="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}}</ref>

== 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]].<ref>{{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}}</ref> 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|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 [[Bangladesh Jatiya Party|Jatiya Party]].<ref>{{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}}</ref> In the 1988 election during the [[Bangladesh Armed Forces|military]] rule, Sikder was elected as the Commissioner of Ward 8. After forming the [[Bangladesh Nationalist Party|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 Sadar Upazila|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.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.clcbd.org/201104054517/state-vs-ershad-ali-sikder-and-others-2004-4517.html|title=Chancery Law Chronicles - Login|last=S.M. Saidur Rahman|publisher=|access-date=10 December 2015}}</ref> During a trial at the lower court, he was [[sentenced to death]] in seven murder cases, along with additional four [[Life imprisonment|life sentences]]. He tried to appeal the decision by writing a petition to [[President of Bangladesh|President]] [[Iajuddin Ahmed]], but he rejected the appeal, and Sikder was executed at the Khulna Central jail on 10 May 2004.<ref name="dstar"/><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.news24.com/World/News/Bangladesh-killer-hanged-20040511|title=Bangladesh killer hanged|website=News24|access-date=10 December 2015}}</ref> Fazlur Rahman, Police inspector and [[Jhikargacha Upazila|Jhikargachha]] Police Station, bought his house in [[Khulna]]. This prompted an investigation by the [[Ministry of Home Affairs (Bangladesh)|ministry of Home Affairs]] in April 2004.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Cop's purchase of Sikder's house under govt lens|url=http://archive.thedailystar.net/2004/04/30/d40430012323.htm|url-status=live|access-date=2021-04-15|website=archive.thedailystar.net|publisher=The Daily Star}}</ref>

== See also ==
* [[List of serial killers by country]]
* [[List of serial killers by number of victims]]

== References ==
{{reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sikder, Ershad}}
[[Category:2004 deaths]]
[[Category:People from Jhalokati district]]
[[Category:Male serial killers]]
[[Category:Bangladeshi serial killers]]
[[Category:Executed Bangladeshi people]]
[[Category:Bangladeshi people convicted of murder]]
[[Category:People executed by Bangladesh by hanging]]
[[Category:Smugglers]]
[[Category:Extortionists]]
[[Category:Torturers]]
[[Category:People convicted of robbery]]
[[Category:Jatiya Party politicians]]
[[Category:Pages with unreviewed translations]]
[[Category:Executed gangsters]]
[[Category:Executed serial killers]]
[[Category:People convicted of theft]]
[[Category:1955 births]]

Ershad Sikder - Revision history

>Haunted Spy at 19:10, 9 January 2022