Two men were hacked and shot dead in broad daylight in Khulna’s court area on Sunday, in a brazen attack that has intensified concerns over the country’s worsening law-and-order situation.
Hasib Hawladar, 41, and Fazle Rabbi Rajon, 37—both recently released on bail in a weapons case—were ambushed moments after stepping out of court.
Their killings, unfolding in a crowded public space at midday, have raised alarm not just in Khulna but across a country where targeted murders have surged since last year’s political shift.
The pair had been in jail until seven months ago. They were leaving the premises after attending a hearing when the attackers struck with guns and machetes.
The double murder instantly sent shockwaves through the legal district, prompting questions about why repeated warnings about security went unheeded.
How the attack unfolded
Eyewitnesses described a swift and well-coordinated strike.
Hasib and Rajon were walking toward their motorcycle when the attackers moved in. One assailant slashed Hasib in the neck with a knife before shooting him, causing him to collapse instantly.
Rajon attempted to flee, but a gunman shot him from behind. Both men died where they fell. The assailants fled within seconds.
Fear grips court community
Judges, lawyers, litigants and witnesses described panic spreading through the Khulna courts after the attack.
Security was tightened immediately, but many insisted the measures came far too late.
Lawyers pointed out that the Khulna District Lawyers’ Association had formally written to authorities just two days earlier, urging heightened protection in and around the court area—a request that police did not act upon.
Sheikh Nurul Hasan Ruba, member-secretary of the district lawyers’ association, said their security request was ignored.
“On Thursday, we sent written letters to the police commissioner, the relevant police station officer-in-charge and the city corporation, requesting increased security around the court area. We even followed up by phone. But no one took it seriously.”
He said criminals gather around makeshift stalls and shanties near the court, creating blind spots and easy hideouts. The double murder, he added, has left lawyers and judges deeply alarmed.
He called for the eviction of tea stalls and shacks lining the road.
Police say 46 murders have taken place in Khulna city alone since the political transition of 5 August 2024.
Hasib and Rajon became the latest statistics at 12:05pm on Sunday, killed in a sudden burst of gunfire and machete strikes after leaving the Chief Judicial Magistrate’s Court.
Both men, residents of Bagmara in Rupsa, faced at least six cases, including murder.
They were known locally as members of the Palash group—a criminal syndicate with a long-running turf war against another feared gang led by “Grenade Babu”. The dispute involves control over extortion, drug trafficking and territorial dominance.
Police blame crowd, deny failure
Khulna Metropolitan Police Commissioner Mohammad Zulfiqar Ali Haider told TIMES of Bangladesh that the two men had been arrested with weapons in March, shortly after Eid, but were recently released on bail.
“It was a planned killing by the Grenade Babu group,” he said.
“There is adequate security inside the court. They were killed on the road after coming out. The criminals took advantage of the crowd.”
He confirmed both victims were active members of the Palash group.
Shafiqul Islam, officer-in-charge of Khulna Sadar police station, said the pair were attacked immediately after stepping out of a hearing at the Metropolitan and Sessions Judge’s Court. They were rushed to Khulna Medical College Hospital, where doctors declared them dead on arrival.
When asked about the ignored security letter, he said, “The Khulna District Lawyers’ Association had sent a letter requesting security in the court premises. There was security there. A protection team was deployed. Today’s incident took place outside the court area, on the road in front of the Circuit House.”
This was not an isolated breakdown in security
On 10 November, 55-year-old Tariq Saif Mamun was shot dead near the Dhaka court complex, also just after a hearing. He, too, had links to the underworld.
These killings have sharpened nationwide concerns that court areas—supposedly among the safest and most protected spaces—are increasingly vulnerable to targeted attacks.
Civil society: ‘A total policing failure’
Kudrat-e-Khoda, president of Sujon’s Khulna chapter and convener of the Khulna Civil Society, said the incident exposed a “complete failure” of police security arrangements.
“Police only do routine work. They have no real thinking about public security,” he said. He also alleged failures in intelligence gathering.
The gangs ruling Khulna’s streets
The rivalry between the Grenade Babu and Palash groups has dominated parts of Khulna for years. Both factions are considered highly dangerous and regularly clash over drugs, extortion and territorial control.
Last month their feud spilled inside Khulna District Jail itself, forcing prison guards to intervene with batons after a violent confrontation between associates of both groups.
Detective Branch officers said six men carried out Sunday’s killing.
Four wore helmets. They arrived on three motorcycles, with one group wielding machetes and the other firing guns.
As they fled, they abandoned one motorcycle. The victims’ motorcycle was also found nearby. Neither had number plates.
Alongside the six attackers, police believe a backup team waited at a distance to facilitate escape.
By Sunday night, no suspects had been arrested or identified.
