Notorious criminal ‘Shooter Mannan’ killed in Munshiganj allegedly over sand mining feud 

A prominent criminal figure in Munshiganj known as 'Shooter Mannan', 45, was fatally shot this morning (28 July) allegedly over a dispute involving illegal sand mining operations, extortion in the river, and related conflicts in Gazaria.   

The incident took place around 10am at Boro Kalipura village in Imampur Union of Gazaria Upazila near the Meghna River. Relatives of the deceased have accused members of the Lalu-Jewel group of orchestrating the killing.

SI Jahangir Alam of the Gazaria river police outpost said, "The deceased has two bullet wounds on his chest. Based on the injury pattern, it seems the shots were fired from a Chinese rifle. We've recovered one bullet casing from the scene. Our senior officials have been notified and are on their way."

Md Anwar Alam Azad, officer-in-charge of Gazaria Police Station, described Mannan as a notorious local criminal, stating, "Mannan was a notorious criminal in Gazaria Upazila. Known locally as Shooter Mannan due to his exceptional skills in handling firearms, he had several cases filed against him at Gazaria Police Station as well as other stations."

According to eyewitness, shortly before the shooting, a speedboat carrying seven armed youths was seen patrolling the Meghna River near Boro Kalipura. 

Soon after, Shooter Mannan, along with Hridoy Bagh (28), Atikur (30), Hasib (34), Shyamol (30), Noyon (25), and Hamim (32), boarded an engine-powered trawler. They were soon chased by another trawler carrying 15 to 16 armed men, all wearing helmets and jackets.

Around 20 to 25 gunshots were fired during the chase. Later, Mannan's bullet-riddled body was found on the trawler. The injured passengers managed to escape by jumping into the river and were later admitted to the upazila health complex, where Hridoy Bagh was reported to be in critical condition.

The assailants fled swiftly, taking both the trawler and speedboat towards Chandpur, said the witnesses.

Eyewitness Sohag said, "I couldn't tell who was shooting at whom, but we heard a lot of gunfire. Later, we found out a man had been shot dead and his body left on the trawler. Even after nearly two hours, no one dared to go near the area out of fear."

Mannan's wife, Sumi Begum, said, "A few days ago, Mannan told me that Lalu and Jewel from Hoglakandi village were plotting to kill him. They had hired professional shooters. This morning, we got the news that Mannan had been shot dead. I'm certain Lalu, Jewel, and the hired gunmen are behind it. Members of the notorious Noyon-Pias gang from Guagachia might also be involved. I plan to file a case with the police regarding the incident."