Case filed over murder of BNP leader in Badda

A murder case has been filed with Badda Police Station against unidentified persons in connection with the shooting and murder of Kamrul Ahsan Sadhan, joint convener of the Gulshan Thana BNP.

Sadhan was shot dead by unidentified assailants on Sunday night in the capital's Middle Badda area. The incident occurred around 10:00 PM in Lane 4 of Gudaraghat, where he was sitting outside a local tea shop.

Sadhan, who lived with his wife on the third floor of a building owned by a local BNP leader and former commissioner, was gunned down shortly after receiving a phone call and stepping out of his home. CCTV footage shows two men approaching him and opening fire at close range before fleeing the scene. Witnesses said the attackers were masked and fired indiscriminately.

"He had just returned home around 9:45 PM and received a phone call," said his grieving wife, Dilruba Akhtar. "While I was praying, he stepped out after locking the door. I had set the dinner table—but no one ever touched that food. Minutes later, we got the news he had been shot."

The couple had been married for 24 years and had no children. "We never had children, but we had a peaceful life together," she said.

"He had no enemies—neither in politics nor in business. How could anyone do this to him? Now what would I live for?"

CCTV footage, now circulating on social media, shows Sadhan casually chatting with others outside a local coffee shop before the attack. Eyewitnesses reported panic and confusion as the gunmen opened fire.

Hanif, a tea vendor at the scene, said, "He used to sit here often, have tea and chat. Last night I was serving customers when we heard gunshots. People started running. I ducked and half-closed the shop. When I came back, Sadhan was lying in a pool of blood."

A targeted killing

According to police, the nature of the attack suggests a premeditated killing rather than a mugging. "Only Sadhan was targeted. No one else was harmed," said DMP Additional Commissioner (Crime & Operations) SN Md Nazrul Islam, who visited the scene on Monday. 

"We believe this was a contract killing. None of the locals recognised the shooters. It's possible they came from outside the city," he said.

Several units of the Detective Branch (DB) are investigating the murder. Police say they are considering various possible motives, including political rivalry, business conflict, and personal enmity.

Sadhan was originally from Laxmipur and had started his career in the restaurant business before moving into internet services in 2018. He was the owner of Swadesh Communications.

On Monday morning, Dilruba Akhtar filed a murder case with Badda Police Station against unidentified shooters.