Despite being under police guard, the residence of Mostafizur Rahman, Chairman of Smart Group and a former Awami League Member of Parliament, was targeted in an armed assault in the Chandanpura area of the city early Saturday.
The attack occurred at approximately 6:30am while Rahman was preparing for sleep following the completion of Sehri and Fajr prayers. Police reports indicate that masked gunmen approached the property from the rear and fired six to seven rounds indiscriminately.
CCTV footage of the incident revealed four masked individuals advancing toward the house with an array of firearms. According to officials, the assailants were armed with two pistols, a submachine gun, a Chinese rifle, and a shotgun.
Babul Azad, the Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Chawkbazar Police Station, stated that while the victim has not yet filed a formal case, law enforcement has successfully identified those involved. “We have identified the perpetrators, but their identities cannot be disclosed at this stage for the sake of the investigation,” the OC said.
The police have attributed the attack to the “Boro Sajjad” gang. OC Azad further noted that a previous case regarding a demand for extortion from the same businessman was filed on 2nd January this year.
In connection with that case, four individuals were arrested, a vehicle was seized, and one of the detainees provided a confessional statement in court under Section 164 of the Code of Criminal Procedure.
Security in the area has been intensified, and police operations are currently underway to apprehend the suspects.
Speaking to the TIMES of Bangladesh, Mujibur Rahman, the younger brother of Mostafizur Rahman, expressed his confusion regarding the security lapse.
“I do not understand how attacks and shootings continue to occur at his residence repeatedly, even with police protection in place,” he remarked. When asked about the police’s stance, he added that he was not speaking to anyone at the moment and was placing his trust in Allah.
