'Main Shooter' Among Three Detained Over Killing of BNP Leader Musabbir

Detectives have detained three suspects, including the alleged gunman, in connection with the murder of former Swechchhasebak Dal leader Azizur Rahman Musabbir.

The arrests were made early Friday (January 10) during raids in Manikganj and Gazipur, confirmed a senior official from the Detective Branch (DB). Among those held are the suspected shooter, identified as Jinat, and the alleged mastermind, Billal.

Musabbir, the former general secretary of the BNP’s volunteer wing in Dhaka North, was gunned down on the night of Wednesday, January 7. The attack occurred around 8:20 PM in the Tejturi Bazar area of Tejgaon, specifically in front of the Ahsanullah Institute of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (AITVET).

Musabbir and his associate, Sufian Byapari Masud, were returning home from a local hotel when assailants hiding in a dark alley opened fire. Musabbir sustained fatal wounds to his abdomen and elbow. Masud, the general secretary of the Karwan Bazar Van Owners’ Association, was shot in the abdomen while attempting to intervene and is currently treated at Dhaka Medical College Hospital.

Police recovered three 7.65mm bullet casings from the scene. The video evidence shows two suspects fleeing toward Karwan Bazar, one with his face covered. Investigators believe at least five people were involved in the coordinated attack.

Police are investigating whether the killing was fueled by internal party rivalry or disputes over territory and extortion in Karwan Bazar, which have reportedly escalated since August 5, 2024.