A typical Wednesday evening in the Labanchara area of Khulna metropolitan city was abruptly shattered by a brutal double homicide, leaving two local youths dead within mere minutes of each other. The shocking incidents unfolded on 19 August near the Ashibigha culvert, transforming a busy suburban neighbourhood into a crime scene and sending waves of panic throughout the local community. The brazen nature of the attack, executed in close succession by a heavily armed gang, has prompted a massive law enforcement response across the southwestern industrial city.
Ambush at the Ashibigha Culvert
According to eyewitness accounts and preliminary police reports, the violence commenced when Monjurul Islam, affectionately known in the area as Monju, was targeted whilst walking towards the culvert to meet acquaintances. Without warning, a hostile group comprising eight to ten unidentified individuals ambushed the 18-year-old. The assailants, openly wielding firearms, discharged multiple rounds at point-blank range.
Monju sustained at least two critical gunshot wounds and collapsed immediately. Desperate local bystanders quickly intervened, rushing the severely bleeding teenager to Khulna Medical College Hospital. Despite their frantic efforts, the attending emergency physicians declared him dead upon arrival. The young victim worked locally as a sanitary fitting technician and was the son of Khokon Sana, a long-standing resident of the Ashibigha locality.
A Second Victim and Escalating Panic
Before the community could even process the initial shock of the assault, the armed syndicate struck again in the exact same vicinity. Moments after Monju was gunned down, the attackers turned their weapons on another 18-year-old youth, Najmul Islam. The son of local resident Monir Sheikh, Najmul sustained fatal injuries during the unprovoked barrage and succumbed to his wounds shortly thereafter.
The extraordinary speed and terrifying proximity of these twin killings have plunged the entire Labanchara district into deep distress. Fearing further bloodshed, terrified residents immediately retreated indoors, abandoning the streets. Nearby commercial establishments, roadside stalls, and local markets shuttered their doors prematurely as a palpable sense of dread blanketed the neighbourhood.
Police Launch Comprehensive Manhunt
In the immediate aftermath of the tragedy, uniformed personnel and criminal investigation detectives descended upon the Ashibigha culvert to cordon off the area. Forensic specialists meticulously combed the scene to recover spent bullet casings and gather vital physical evidence, whilst officers interviewed traumatised witnesses.
Confirming the details of the dual assassinations, Labanchara Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Syed Mosharraf Hossain stated that law enforcement agencies have launched a rigorous, multi-pronged investigation. Detectives are currently exploring several lines of inquiry to establish a definitive motive, investigating whether the back-to-back attacks stem from local gang rivalries, territorial disputes, or targeted personal enmity. Police units have subsequently established checkpoints and initiated targeted raids across key points in Khulna to apprehend the perpetrators orchestrating this coordinated massacre.
