Unknown assailants hacked to death a 39-year-old scrap trader, Sohel Munshi, in Louhajang upazila of Munshiganj early Thursday (June 18). Following the murder, the attackers set the victim's motorcycle on fire before fleeing the scene.
The incident occurred around 1:45 AM in Kalurgaon village of Gaondia union.
According to family members, Sohel went to sleep alone in an east-facing room of his home. His wife, Nupur Begum, who had recently given birth, was sleeping in an adjacent room with her mother. Late at night, Sohel’s mother and wife woke up after hearing a sudden noise outside. When they stepped into the courtyard, they found Sohel's motorcycle engulfed in flames and discovered his bloodied body lying nearby.
It is suspected that the attackers woke Sohel and brought him out of the house before striking him with sharp weapons. Police noted deep cuts and bruises across his body, indicating he died on the spot from severe blood loss.
Sohel, the son of the late Ismail Munshi, traded scrap materials in the Cedar Char area. Police records indicate he had previously been arrested by the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) in 2022 for possession of foreign liquor.
"We dispatched a police force immediately after receiving the report," said Md. Borhan ul Islam, Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Louhajang Police Station. "The body has been sent to the morgue for an autopsy."
Additional Superintendent of Police (Crime and Ops) Md. Kamran Hossain confirmed that senior officials have visited the crime scene. "An investigation is already underway to identify the perpetrators and uncover the motive behind this brutal murder," he stated.
The killing has sparked panic in the community. Locals and the victim's family are demanding the immediate arrest and punishment of those involved.
