His sons Jamal Shikder, Kamal Shikder and Helal Shikder and step brother Mahmud Azad Shikder were present at the time of burial.

Earlier, his namaz-e-janaza was held at 8:50am at his palatial house, Swarnokomol, at Sonadanga under heavy police escort and 33 relatives including his three sons and the only daughter attended it.

Hundreds of people gathered in front of Swarnokomol to have a final glimpse of Ershad who was hanged at 12:01 Monday night. Police clubbed people who tried to enter Swarnokomol crushing the main gate.

His sons and daughter later drove out Ershad's only sister Selina and elder brother Ashraf Ali Shikder of Swarnokomol and did not allow them to see the body.

Extensive damage was caused to boundary wall and main gate of Tootpara graveyard when a crowd tried to prevent the burial there. But police intervened to convince people that it was Ershad's last wish to be buried at Tootpara graveyard. Armed policemen are guarding the graveyard to prevent any untoward incident.

Ershad's relatives have split into two groups over the possession of his property, with Khodeja spearheading one group and Selina and Ashraf Ali leading the other. Selina and her supporters also tried to prevent Ershad's first wife Khodeja from receiving the body from jail gate, but security guards foiled her attempt.

Selina allegedly threatened Ershad's daughter with his first wife, Shaad Yasmin, to leave Swarnokomol with her mother and brothers or face dire consequences.

FOLLOWING IN FOOTSTEPS
Our Barisal correspondent reports from Nalchhity: Ershad, who hailed from Madarghona village of Nalchhity upazila of Jhalakathi district, followed in his father and grandfather's footsteps, who also died in jail.

His grand father Hafiz Sikder was convicted in a dacoity case and died in jail during the Pakistan period. His father Bande Ali Shikder was sentenced to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment for murdering a man in his village and also died in jail.

Ershad's first wife Khodeja came to the Madarghona village two months ago and repaired the family graveyard there. A milad mahfil was also held then for his early release from jail.