Saudi embassy official killed in Dhaka

A Saudi Arabian embassy official died early on Tuesday after he was shot by unknown assailants near his Gulshan house in Dhaka hours before.

Foreign ministry officials said Khalaf Al Ali, 45, was an official with the consular section of the embassy.

State minister for home Shamsul Hoque Tuku said police were investigating the murder. Opposition leader Khaleda Zia condemned the killing and was quick to point the finger at the government, saying even 'diplomats' were not safe in Bangladesh.

Foreign minister Dipu Moni termed the incident 'undesired' and hoped that the incident will not affect relations with Saudi Arabia.

Assistant commissioner of Gulshan Zone of DMP Nurul Alam told bdnews24.com: "Khalaf Al Ali was shot in the chest around Monday midnight in front of his house at Gulshan's road no. 120, plot 9/A. Residents of the neighbourhood took him to the United Hospital with fatal injuries."

He failed to respond to treatment and died early Tuesday morning, Alam added.

The forensic report said a single bullet pierced through the left part of Khalaf's chest and hit his kidney and he died of excessive bleeding.

Khalaf took the bullet in front of the main office and residential building of the Consulate of Portugal. 'Julfikar', the guard at the building, told reporter he had heard a gunshot around 1:00am. Later, he saw a man was lying by the south-side wall of the building.

He also saw a white car racing away towards the west at high speed. Julfikar reported the incident to Gulshan police who police took Khalaf to hospital.

Tapas Rema, the security guard at the building where Saudi embassy staff lived, said Khalaf went out around 11:00am for a walk like every other day in pyjamas and T-shirt. He had a water bottle in his hand when he left.

Khalaf was living alone in the residence for the last year, Rema added.

Ambassador-at-large M Ziauddin and two senior foreign ministry officials, director-general of West Asia Desk M Allama Siddique and chief of protocol MAS Sadique, went to the private hospital at noon on hearing the news of the death of the Saudi official.

Acting foreign secretary Mustafa Kamal told bdnews24.com: "We came to know of the matter around 12:50pm from the Saudi embassy. It is a very sad incident. We offer our heartfelt condolences."

He said the Saudi embassy contacted the foreign ministry and asked for a proper enquiry into the incident.

The Bangladesh ambassador to Riyadh had been asked to inform the Saudi foreign ministry of the incident, he added.

The acting secretary said, "Khalaf Al Ali's name is enlisted as a non-diplomatic staff on our register."

Kamal said he heard that Khalaf used to live alone at his Gulshan apartment.

The official lived in a rented apartment close to the murder scene and would walk in the street or take a bicycle ride almost every night, assistant commissioner Alam added

Junior minister Tuku, when asked about the issue, told reporters at a programme at noon, "The matter is being investigated, after which action will be taken."