A gunman opened fire at the personal car of popular Bangladeshi singer and former Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) director Asif Akbar in the capital’s Moghbazar area early on Saturday, 24 October. The attack damaged the vehicle’s rear right window, but no injuries were reported.
The incident took place at around 4.50 am in front of Bishal Market. According to police, a young man arrived at the scene in a CNG-powered auto-rickshaw, fired at the car and fled shortly afterwards. The motive for the shooting remains unclear, and the suspect has not yet been identified publicly.
Fortunately, no one was inside the vehicle when the shots were fired. Asif Akbar was reportedly in his office on the third floor of Bishal Market at the time.
After hearing the gunshots, the singer immediately went downstairs to check on the situation. He later contacted Bangladesh’s national emergency service, 999, to report the incident. Police arrived at the scene and began preliminary inquiries.
Police begin preliminary investigation
Sub-Inspector Al Amin of Hatirjheel Police Station told the media that the shooting occurred in front of Bishal Market at approximately 4.50 am. He said the assailant had arrived in a CNG-powered auto-rickshaw before targeting the vehicle and making a quick escape.
Officers visited the location to assess the damage and gather initial information. However, the circumstances surrounding the attack were not immediately clear.
Police said Asif Akbar had not provided information pointing to any specific individual he suspected of being responsible. No confirmed motive had emerged, leaving investigators to establish whether the shooting was linked to a personal dispute or another cause.
The fact that the singer was inside his office rather than in the vehicle meant that no one was directly exposed to the gunfire inside the car. Nevertheless, the damage to the vehicle highlighted the seriousness of the incident.
No written complaint submitted so far
Police said no formal written complaint had been filed in connection with the shooting as of the latest available information. Asif Akbar reportedly told officers that he would decide what to do about the matter later.
His decision on whether to submit a written complaint therefore remains uncertain. The absence of a formal complaint does not, by itself, establish that the incident will not be investigated, although the next steps in the case have yet to be clarified publicly.
Investigators will need to establish the identity of the gunman, determine how he reached and left the scene, and examine the circumstances that led to the vehicle being targeted. Witness statements and any available CCTV footage from nearby premises could help reconstruct the sequence of events.
However, no findings from such evidence have been reported so far. There has also been no confirmed report of an arrest in connection with the shooting.
Motive behind attack remains unknown
The shooting has raised questions about why the singer’s vehicle was targeted. Asif Akbar is a well-known figure in Bangladesh’s music industry and has also served as a director of the BCB. The incident has therefore attracted attention, although the available information remains limited.
At this stage, there is no verified evidence establishing whether the attack was planned in advance, arose from a personal dispute or was motivated by any other factor. Any conclusion about the motive would be premature until investigators have gathered further evidence.
The immediate priorities are to identify the assailant, establish the circumstances of the shooting and determine whether anyone else was involved. Police findings, along with any further information provided by the singer, may help clarify the case.
No casualties were reported, and the suspect’s identity and whereabouts remained unknown at the time of reporting. The investigation is expected to focus on the available evidence as authorities seek to establish what happened outside Bishal Market in the early hours of Saturday.
