Panic gripped a busy commercial hub in Noakhali’s Begumganj upazila late Saturday night when a masked gang launched a sudden armed assault, detonating crude bombs and opening indiscriminate gunfire at Bangla Bazar in Zirtoli Union.

The violent incident, which unfolded around 10:30 PM, left three people injured, including a local school teacher and two shop workers. The victims have been identified as 56-year-old Rajibuzzaman, an assistant headmaster at Shamsunnahar High School, alongside 17-year-old shop employee Md Sakib and 18-year-old Mohammad Nazim Uddin. All three sustained pellet and shrapnel injuries from the sudden barrage.

According to local witnesses and traders, a group of ten to twelve masked assailants emerged from an eastern alley of the market onto the main Noakhali-Lakshmipur highway. The attackers immediately heightened tension by detonating several crude bombs, commonly known as cocktails, which sent shoppers and pedestrians scrambling for cover. The armed gang then fired indiscriminately into the surroundings before fleeing the scene.

Saiful Islam, a local merchant, recounted that the perpetrators set off two explosive devices directly in front of his shop while discharging firearms. Mr Rajibuzzaman was struck by pellets in his back, chest, and hands while navigating the area. His brother-in-law, Md Suman, confirmed that the educator is currently receiving treatment at home as his condition remains stable.

Meanwhile, the two younger victims were rushed for hospital care. Dr Rajib Uddin Chowdhury, resident medical officer at the Noakhali 250-Bed General Hospital, stated that Sakib and Nazim arrived at the facility around 1:00 AM bearing pellet wounds and were immediately admitted to the ward.

Officers from Begumganj Police Station inspected the crime scene following the reports. Officer-in-Charge Md Shamsuzzaman confirmed that authorities are gathering statements from the victims and investigating the motives behind the attack. Police noted that formal legal proceedings and targeted operations to identify the perpetrators will be initiated upon receiving official complaints from the affected families.