Ershad Sikder was a Bangladeshi criminal and serial killer, known for committing various crimes such as murder, torture, theft, robbery and others. He was sentenced to death for murder, and subsequently executed on May 10, 2004. A song by Abdus Sattar Mohantan, titled "I will be dead", has been popularized throughout the country as Sikder's song.
Biography
Early life
Sikder was born in the Madargona village of Nalchity Upazila, Jhalokati District. His father was Bande Ali. Between 1966–1967, Sikder moved from his birthplace to the Khulna District. 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 fall of former president Hussain Muhammad Ershad, Sikder entered politics through the Jatiya Party. 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 December 26, 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.
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, 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. 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 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 May 10, 2004.
