Unnamed assailants have barged into a shop and shot dead a leader of a ruling Awami League front, police say.
Published : 10 Sep 2014, 09:02 PM
Reazul Islam Lalu, 34, was the chief of Swechchhasebak League's Shyampur union unit and a trader of building materials, Dhaka-4 constituency's former MP Sanjida Khanam told bdnews24.com.
Doctors at the Dhaka Medical College and Hospital (DMCH) declared him dead minutes after he was taken there on Wednesday night.
DMCH police outpost Inspector Mozammel Haq said Lalu was at his shop on Haji Ashraf Karim Road in the evening when a group of assailants stormed it and shot him.
The motive behind the murder is still unclear.
There has been widespread criticism over the law and order in the capital in recent times.
Lalu's uncle Zakir Hossain said his nephew was alone when he was attacked.
"The front part of the shop is covered with glass much like a ticket counter. The attackers shot him through a hole in the glass," he told reporters at the DMCH.
"Locals said one of the attackers was wearing a red t-shirt," he said.
Asked whether the front's in-fighting was behind the murder, former MP Khanam said, "No."
"I didn't hear any complaint over [Swechchhasebak League's Shyampur] unit," she said.
According to her, Lalu was "popular".
Lalu is survived by his wife and two sons.
Party activists and police rushed to the hospital on learning of his death.
On Aug 9, Awami League leader Jahangir Alam was shot dead in front of his West Agargaon residence. He was an aspirant for the post of the party's Ward No. 41 unit.
Last month, miscreants hacked to death Islami Front leader Nurul Islami Farooqi. A day later, assailants barged into a Moghbazar house and shot dead three people.
Barely a week later, muggers shot money-exchange businessman Israil Hossain and his son Sharif Saimon and snatched Tk 3.8 million. Saimon died while being taken to hospital.
State Minister for Home Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal recently claimed the law and order was "normal".
"Statistics show that such incidents occur in all countries now and then," he said replying to a question.