A union-level Chhatra Dal leader in Bhola was stabbed to death Wednesday evening while traveling to Dhaka to attend the homecoming event of BNP acting chairman Tarique Rahman.

The incident occurred in the Closer Bazar area, reportedly stemming from a longstanding personal feud.

The deceased, Rezwan Amin Sifat, 28, was the son of Md. Alauddin Howlader, general secretary of Ward No. 9, Rajapur Union BNP, and a postgraduate student in accounting at Bhola Government College.

Relatives and locals said Shifat had ongoing disputes with his cousins over past conflicts.

On Wednesday afternoon, an argument took place between Sifat and his cousins Hasib and Sakib. Later, while Sifat was on his way to Dhaka, a group including his cousins ambushed him at Clouser Bazar, stabbing him and leaving him injured. Locals and family members rushed to his aid and took him to Bhola 250-Bed General Hospital, where doctors declared him dead.

Shifat’s father, Md. Alauddin, and Rajapur Union Parishad panel chairman Shajahan Bepari said hundreds of thousands of BNP leaders and activists from Bhola were traveling to Dhaka to attend Tarique Rahman’s event. On Wednesday night alone, 10 launches departed Bhola for Dhaka. Sifat was preparing to join the procession when he was attacked.

Bhola Sadar police OC (Investigation) Zia Uddin confirmed that the police visited the scene and efforts are underway to arrest the perpetrators.