Shot twice: Swechchhasebak Dal issues 24-hour ultimatum over Musabbir killing
Three 7.65mm bullet casings recovered; Police investigating links to Karwan Bazar turf dispute
Jatiyatabadi Swechchhasebak Dal issued a 24-hour ultimatum to the authorities today (8 January) to arrest the killers of its former Dhaka North general secretary Azizur Rahman Musabbir, as police intensified their investigation into the Tejgaon shooting by taking two individuals into custody for questioning.
Assailants gunned down Musabbir on Wednesday night in the Tejturi Bazar area of Tejgaon. Musabbir was shot twice – one bullet hit his elbow and another his abdomen – while Sufian Byapari Masud, general secretary of the Karwan Bazar Van Owners' Association, who was accompanying him, sustained a gunshot wound to the abdomen. Masud is currently undergoing treatment at Dhaka Medical College Hospital. Musabbir's body was handed over to his family after the post-mortem.
Musabbir's wife, Suraiya Begum (42), filed a murder case with Tejgaon Police Station today, naming four to five unidentified individuals as accused. Speaking to reporters while receiving her husband's body from DMCH, she demanded swift justice. "If justice is not ensured, more families like mine will be ruined," she said, adding that Musabbir had often spoken of threats to his life.
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According to sources, tensions have been brewing among different political groups in Karwan Bazar over extortion and control of the area since 5 August 2024. Police are examining whether Musabbir's killing stemmed from internal party rivalry or broader political motives.
Deputy Commissioner (DC) Ibne Mizan of Tejgaon Division said law enforcement agencies are probing both political and extortion-related angles. "We have identified two suspects in CCTV footage and are trying to determine why this killing took place," he said.
Meanwhile, the Detective Branch (DB) has brought two individuals in for questioning. On Wednesday night, Md Abdul Majid Milan, the organising secretary of BNP's Ward No 26, was taken into custody. Later, Md Faruk Hossain, vice-president of Jubo Dal in the same ward and a vegetable trader from Karwan Bazar, was brought in today. A senior DB officer, speaking on condition of anonymity, told The Business Standard, "We are questioning both individuals. If no involvement is found, they will be released."
Details of the shooting
According to police, the shooting occurred around 8:20pm in front of the Ahsanullah Institute of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (AITVET), behind Star Kabab in Tejgaon. Three 7.65mm bullet casings were recovered from the scene.
Musabbir and Masud were returning home from the Super Star Hotel when assailants hiding in a dark alley opened fire. Musabbir was hit in the right elbow and abdomen, collapsing on the ground, while Masud was shot in the left abdomen while trying to intervene. The attackers fled, assuming both were dead.
CCTV footage shows two assailants running toward the Karwan Bazar main road, one with a covered face. Investigators believe at least five people were involved. ADC (Tejgaon zone) Fazlul Karim said police are identifying all suspects, with DMP, DB, and RAB teams actively working on the case.
Political reaction
After Zohr prayers today, Musabbir's body was brought to the BNP central office in Naya Paltan, where senior party leaders paid their last respects. BNP Joint Secretary General Habib-un-Nabi Khan Sohel urged the government to ensure arrests within the ultimatum period. "The killers of Osaman Hadi have not yet been arrested, and now Musabbir has been killed. If arrests are not made within 24 hours, questions will arise about the sincerity of the authorities," he said.
"We demand that the killers be arrested within 24 hours. If this demand is not met, tougher protest programmes will be announced," Swechchhasebak Dal Senior Vice-President Yaseen Ali said while addressing party leaders and activists ahead of Musabbir's namaz-e-janaza.
Other BNP leaders, including Mir Sarafat Ali Sofu, Aminul Haque, and Tanvir Ahmed Robin, also condemned the killing, alleging a conspiracy to destabilise the political environment ahead of elections.
