The brutal murder of a scrap trader at city’s Mitford area on Wednesday has shaken the nation sparking widespread outrage and condemnation from across the class in the country.
Hundreds of university students took to the streets on Friday night to protest the shocking murder of Mohammed Sohag, a 39-year-old trader who was hacked and beaten to death in broad daylight at the gate of Sir Salimullah Medical College (Mitford) Hospital in Old Dhaka on July 9.
Students from several universities—including Dhaka University, BUET, Jagannath University (JnU), and Jahangirnagar University (JU)—joined in demonstrations, demanding justice and expressing outrage over what they called a disturbing failure in public safety.
At Jagannath University, students gathered at the campus Shaheed Minar around 9 p.m. and began a protest march. The procession moved through key areas of Old Dhaka—including Roy Shaheb Bazar, Tanti Bazar, Nayabazar, and Mitford Hospital—before ending at Bhasha Shahid Rafiq Bhaban. Chants for justice filled the air, with students holding signs and calling for the swift trial of those responsible.
Md. Nur Nabi, joint coordinator of the Bangladesh Democratic Student Union Central unit and an Islamic Studies student at JnU, shared an emotional statement: “That stone wasn’t just thrown at my brother—it hit all our chests. What happened at Mitford reminds us too much of the Biswajit killing by Chhatra League members. It’s terrifying how history keeps repeating itself.”
Over at Jahangirnagar University, another group of students—united under the banner “Anti-Terror Unity”—marched from the Bot Tola area at around 9:30 p.m. Their procession covered key areas of the campus before returning to hold a rally.
JU protest coordinator and Democratic Students’ Union representative Arifuzzaman Uzzal pointed fingers at political groups,”BNP and its affiliated bodies are behind a wave of violence across the country—killings, rapes, extortion. If they stand against the people, we will stand against them, just as we did in July.”
Following the murder, Sohag’s family filed a case naming several suspects. Police have since arrested four individuals, including Mahmudul Hasan Mohin (41) and Tarek Rahman Robin (22). A Dhaka court on Saturday placed the accused on a five-day remand for further investigation.
Meanwhile, four activists of the BNP’s affiliated organisations have been expelled from their respective political wings following allegations of direct involvement in the killing. In separate statements issued Friday evening, Jatiyatabadi Jubo Dal, Chhatra Dal, and Swechchhasebak Dal confirmed the lifetime expulsion of Rajjab Ali (Pintu), a former assistant secretary for climate affairs of Jubo Dal’s central committee; Sabah Karim (Laki), joint convener of Dhaka South Jubo Dal; Apu Das, member secretary of Chawkbazar Thana Chhatra Dal; and Kalu alias Swechchhasebak Kalu of Swechchhasebak Dal.
Jubo Dal president Abdul Monaem and general secretary Mohammad Nurul Islam said the party would bear no responsibility for the misconduct of these individuals and instructed all levels of the organisation to sever ties with them.
Chhatra Dal president Rakibul Islam and general secretary Nasir Uddin also demanded legal action against Apu Das and called for exemplary punishment to uphold justice.
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, in a statement, condemned the killing in strong terms. Describing the public lynching as “heinous and barbaric,” he warned that failure to deliver justice would only reinforce the culture of impunity in society. He urged the interim government to carry out a fair and credible investigation and ensure that all perpetrators are brought to justice.The public outrage surrounding the incident continues to grow, with students and citizens alike demanding accountability—not just for Sohag’s murder, but for what they see as a broader breakdown in public safety.
Meanwhile, law enforcement agencies have arrested four individuals, including two with firearms, in connection with the gruesome daylight killing of a scrap businessman in front of Sir Salimullah Medical College and Hospital (Mitford Hospital) in old Dhaka.
According to Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP), the incident occurred around 6:00pm on Wednesday, 9 July 2025, when a group of men ambushed and brutally hacked to death one Lal Chand, also known as Sohag, 39, in full public view near Gate No. 3 of the hospital. A video of the attack, showing several assailants beating the victim with sticks and sharp weapons, later went viral on Facebook, sparking public outrage.
Kotwali police rushed to the scene immediately after the attack, brought the situation under control, and prepared an inquest report on the victim’s body. The body was later sent to the hospital morgue for autopsy. Following the incident, the victim’s elder sister filed a murder case with Kotwali Police Station.
Acting on CCTV footage collected from the area, police launched raids across different parts of the capital and arrested two named suspects — Mahmudul Hasan Mohin, 41, and Tarek Rahman Robin, 22. A foreign-made pistol was recovered from Robin’s possession at the time of his arrest.
Separately, members of the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) detained two other named suspects — Alamgir, 28, and Monir alias Lamba Monir, 32 — from the Kadamtoli area of Keraniganj around 4:00pm on Friday, 11 July. Law enforcement officials say preliminary investigations indicate the murder was driven by a business dispute and longstanding personal enmity.
Law enforcement officials said operations are still underway to identify and apprehend other individuals involved in the attack.