Former union council chairman shot dead in Rajbari

Abdul Latif Mia, a former chairman of Rajbari's Banibaha union council, has been shot and killed by a group of unknown assailants.

Latif, the chairman of Banibaha Awami League, was hoping to run for the union council election this year.

He was heading home from Banibaha market on Thursday when he was attacked, police said.

He was rushed to Faridpur Medical College Hospital in critical condition before succumbing to his wounds around 3:30 am en route to Dhaka, according to Rajbari's Additional Superintendent of Police Md Salahuddin.

“We have deployed police personnel in the neighbourhood after the incident. We’re working to arrest those involved in the attack,” he said.

Mohammed Ali, a resident of Mahishbathan village, said he was woken up by the gunshots around 12 am.

“I got out of my home and saw chairman Latif lying on the ground. Some locals then took him to the hospital,” he said.

Latif hailed from Pukurchala in Mahishbathan village. He was elected chairman of Banibaha union council in 2001.

Latif was seeking to contest this year's local election with the Awami League ticket, according to local leaders.

“We need to see if this was done by his opponents. There should be an investigation,” said Lota, a member of the union council.