Published : 17 Mar 2026, 05:30 AM
Updated : 21 Aug 2026, 03:28 PM
Police have arrested three suspects in connection with the brutal murder of a social media content creator, who was hacked and shot dead at the Central Shaheed Minar.
Preliminary investigations suggest the killing of 25-year-old Rakib Ahmed, a second-year BA student at Shaikh Burhanuddin College, was sparked by a dispute involving "romantic affairs".
Shahbagh Police chief Md Moniruzzaman confirmed the arrests.
While the names of the detainees have not been officially released, police said one suspect was caught by bystanders at the scene, leading to the arrest of two others.
Rakib, the son of a Dhaka University employee, was hanging out with friends on the monument premises around 9:15pm on Sunday when he came under attack.
Witnesses said three to four attackers launched an indiscriminate assault, stabbing him multiple times before shooting him in the head.
According to police, Rakib’s body bore 10 stab wounds and two entry marks from bullets.
One bullet reportedly entered above his right ear and exited through the left side of his head, while another struck his back.
Investigators believe the murder was premeditated.
A police officer noted that the plan emerged from a feud involving multiple romantic relationships.
Rakib’s wife Habiba Akter claimed at the Dhaka Medical College Hospital morgue that the trouble began after her husband met another content creator Jannat Mun at a wedding in Bogura.
"While staying at our house, my husband discovered Jannat discussing drug transportation over the phone. Following this, Jannat’s boyfriend threatened to kill him," Habiba alleged.
She added that the boyfriend later repeated the death threats over a Facebook comment.
Rakib’s father Torikul Islam Khokon, a staff member at Dhaka University’s Bangamata Sheikh Fazilatunnesa Mujib Hall, filed a murder case with Shahbagh Police on Monday.
Masud Alam, deputy commissioner of the Ramna Division, said all three suspects are currently being interrogated.
"Two more individuals directly involved in the attack have been identified and are under surveillance," he added.
