A 50-year-old man, identified by police as a suspected drug dealer with around 15 cases against him, has been shot dead in Siddhirganj, Narayanganj.
Saheb Ali was attacked in the Boubazar area of Ati Wapda Colony, Ward 4 of Narayanganj City Corporation, between 5.30pm and 5.40pm on Monday, 12 October. His relatives rescued him from the scene and took him to Dhaka Medical College Hospital, where his death was reported at around 8pm.
According to police sources, Saheb Ali was standing beside a canal near Milon’s scrap-fabric depot, in front of the 10-storey Al Fatah building in Boubazar, shortly after 5.30pm when the attack took place.
An unidentified man, described as an associate of Saheb Ali, allegedly opened fire on him. The first shot caused Saheb Ali to fall into a nearby drain. The assailant then fired at him a second time before throwing bricks and other pieces of masonry at him and fleeing the scene.
The motive for the attack remains unclear. Police have not publicly established whether the killing stemmed from a personal dispute, criminal rivalry or another cause. The identity of the alleged attacker has also not been confirmed.
Saheb Ali was the son of the late Gias Uddin and lived in the Ati Wapda Colony area of Siddhirganj. Police said he had approximately 15 cases registered against him at Siddhirganj Police Station. The cases reportedly involved allegations of murder, drug-related offences, robbery, preparation for robbery, offences affecting law and order, and violations of anti-terrorism legislation.
The existence of cases against the deceased does not, in itself, establish guilt in each allegation. The circumstances surrounding his death and the precise motive for the shooting remain matters for investigation.
Tarek Al Mehdi, Additional Superintendent of Police in charge of Crime and Operations in Narayanganj, confirmed that Saheb Ali had been shot in the Boubazar area of Siddhirganj on Monday. He said the victim was taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital, where his death was subsequently reported.
Police are investigating the killing in an effort to identify the attacker and establish the reason behind the shooting. Details about any arrests, the recovery of a firearm or the filing of a formal case were not immediately available.
Investigators will need to establish the sequence of events before the shooting, examine the relationship between Saheb Ali and the suspected attacker, and determine whether anyone else was involved. It remains unclear whether the assailant acted alone or had assistance.
The investigation is continuing, and further details are expected to emerge as police work to identify those responsible and clarify the circumstances of the killing.
