Expelled Jubo Dal leader shot dead in Khulna
Police say he had been involved in a turf war over control of the local drug trade
An ousted leader of the Jubo Dal was shot and hacked to death by unidentified individuals in Khulna city's Daulatpur area today (11 July), police and eyewitnesses said.
The deceased, Molla Mahbubur Rahman (45), was former vice-president of the Daulatpur Thana unit of Jubo Dal.
The incident took place around noon in front of his house at Maheshwarpasha Paschimpara under Daulatpur Police Station, said Officer-in-Charge (OC) Mir Atahar Ali of the station.
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According to eyewitnesses, Mahbub was cleaning his private car when three men arrived on a motorcycle and opened fire at him. As he fell to the ground, the attackers hacked him and severed the tendons in his legs before fleeing the scene.
Locals said Mahbub got increasingly unruly after 5 August last year and was allegedly involved in a feud with a rival group over drug peddling in the area.
Police confirmed he had been involved in a turf war over control of the local drug trade. Mahbubur had eight criminal cases against him, including for drugs and extortion. OC Atahar said, "There was tension between Mahbub and rival groups over drug dealing. We are investigating if the killing was a result of that conflict."
"Four bullet casings were recovered from the spot, and a drive is underway to arrest those involved," he added.
Mahbub came to public attention on 18 February this year during a clash between students and political activists at Khulna University of Engineering and Technology (KUET), when a photo of him brandishing a machete went viral.
He was expelled from the party later that night but continued participating in political activities.
The Khulna city unit of the BNP issued a statement last night expressing concern over the deteriorating law and order situation. According to a press release sent by BNP media cell convener Mizanur Rahman Milton, the party said that incidents of murder, armed displays, theft, robbery, and looting have become daily occurrences in Khulna. They claimed that 27 murders, including Mahbub's, have occurred in the city over the past 10 months.
The BNP called on the chief adviser and home adviser of the interim government to urgently intervene. "If the law and order situation is not brought under strict control, the government cannot avoid responsibility," they warned. The party urged swift action to restore public safety.
