Law enforcement agencies have launched a major crackdown in Chattogram following multiple shooting incidents, including the killing of a man during an election campaign of a BNP candidate.
Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) has arrested six people, including two suspects named in the murder case, in raids across the port city.
The arrests were made on Thursday night in different parts of Chattogram, with RAB recovering a foreign-made pistol and four rounds of ammunition. The force shared the details at a press briefing on Friday afternoon.
On Wednesday evening, BNP’s Chattogram-8 candidate Ershad Ullah was shot and injured while campaigning in the Chalitatali area under Bayezid Police Station in the port city. During the attack, Sarwar Hossain Babla was shot dead on the spot.
Police have identified Babla as a listed criminal.
On the same night, another attack took place in Koepra village of Bagowan union in Raozan upazila, where assailants opened fire on leaders and activists of Sramik Dal and Krishak Dal as they were returning home after preparations for Revolution and Solidarity Day.
Five people were shot and wounded, including upazila Sramik Dal General Secretary Abdullah Suman and Krishak Dal Vice-President Mohammad Ismail.
The violence continued the next day. On Thursday afternoon, miscreants shot Idris, an auto-rickshaw driver, in the Chalitatali area.
RAB-7 commanding officer Lieutenant Colonel Hafizur Rahman said two suspects — Alauddin and Helal — were arrested from Hajirpool in Chandgaon in connection with the campaign attack and killing.
He said three more suspects — Ishtiaque Chowdhury, Jackie and Joni — were arrested with a pistol from Chandanpura in Chawkbazar for their alleged role in the Raozan shooting. Another suspect, identified as Raj, was detained from Chalitatali in connection with the shooting of the auto-rickshaw driver.
The RAB commander said the group was linked to a recent spate of shootings, targeted attacks and efforts to spread fear in the Raozan and Bayezid areas.
A murder case was filed on Thursday night by Abdul Kader, father of the slain Sarwar Babla, naming eight people as accused.
Alauddin, arrested by RAB, is listed as the 6th accused in the case. However, his wife said Alauddin, an entrepreneur in the brick and sand trade and vice-president of Ward 4 Jubo Dal, was not present in the area at the time and has been implicated in a false case.
Ershad Ullah stable, shifted to Dhaka
Meanwhile, BNP candidate Ershad Ullah, who was shot during Wednesday’s attack, is now out of danger.
He was transferred to Square Hospital in Dhaka on Friday for advanced treatment.
