Auto-Rickshaw Driver Killed in Robbery Attack

A 25-year-old auto-rickshaw driver was brutally hacked to death in Mymensingh in what police believe was a robbery carried out to steal his vehicle. The attackers fled the scene with the victim’s auto-rickshaw after the killing, leaving behind a grieving family, including his two-and-a-half-year-old daughter.

The incident took place at around 11:00 pm on Saturday (18 July) in a secluded area near the Char Haripur Union Parishad office along the Shambhuganj–Paranganj road in Char Ishwardia Union under Mymensingh Sadar Upazila.

The deceased, identified as Rajib Islam, was the son of Ebadul Islam and a resident of the Saitan Kanda area of Char Ishwardia in Ward No. 31 of Mymensingh city. He earned his livelihood by operating a battery-powered auto-rickshaw and was the sole breadwinner for his family.

According to police and local sources, several unidentified individuals hired Rajib’s auto-rickshaw from Shambhuganj, telling him they wished to travel to Joybangla Bazar. As the vehicle reached an isolated stretch of road near the Char Haripur Union Parishad office, the passengers allegedly launched a violent attack. Armed with sharp weapons, they repeatedly struck Rajib, inflicting fatal injuries before stealing his auto-rickshaw.

The assailants then abandoned his body in roadside bushes and escaped from the area before local residents could intervene.

Witnesses said another auto-rickshaw travelling behind Rajib’s vehicle noticed suspicious activity and raised the alarm. Their cries for help prompted nearby residents to rush to the scene. By the time they arrived, however, the attackers had already fled.

Police from Kotwali Model Police Station responded to the incident shortly after receiving the report. Officers recovered the body and sent it to the morgue at Mymensingh Medical College Hospital for a post-mortem examination as part of the investigation.

Senior police officials, including Additional Superintendent of Police (Sadar Circle) Asaduzzaman Shakil and Officer-in-Charge Md Shibirul Islam of Kotwali Model Police Station, later visited the crime scene to assess the situation and supervise the initial inquiry.

Speaking to reporters, OC Shibirul Islam said investigators were initially treating the case as a murder committed with the intention of robbing the victim of his auto-rickshaw. He added that law enforcement agencies had launched an operation to recover the stolen vehicle and identify and arrest those responsible.

Police said forensic evidence and witness statements were being examined as part of the investigation. No arrests had been reported at the time of filing this report, and legal proceedings were underway.

The killing has shocked local residents, who called for the swift arrest of those involved and urged authorities to strengthen security on roads frequently used by public transport drivers during late-night hours. The incident has also renewed concerns over violent crimes targeting auto-rickshaw drivers, particularly in isolated areas where criminals often exploit the lack of surveillance and limited public presence.