A Jatiyatabadi Juba Dal activist was gunned down in a brazen attack at a busy market in Raozan, Chattogram, triggering panic and raising fresh fears over political violence in the area.
The victim, Md Mujib, was shot dead by unidentified gunmen in the Oli Mia Hat area on Wednesday evening, February 25, shortly after iftar.
According to police and eyewitnesses, Mujib had been sitting at a tea stall with friends when he stepped out onto the road. At that moment, gunmen who had been lying in wait opened fire at close range. He was struck by multiple bullets in the forehead, chest and abdomen, collapsing instantly as terrified bystanders fled for safety.
The attackers escaped the scene within seconds, leaving Mujib critically wounded. Locals rushed him to Raozan Upazila Health Complex, where doctors declared him dead on arrival.
Residents said Mujib was known locally as a follower of ruling party MP Gias Uddin Quader Chowdhury, adding to suspicions of possible political motives behind the killing.
Confirming the incident, Raozan Police Station Officer-in-Charge Sajedul Islam said police have launched an operation to identify and arrest those responsible. “It is not yet clear whether the murder was politically motivated. Investigation is ongoing,” he said.
The killing comes amid a troubling pattern of violence in Raozan. On January 5, another Juba Dal leader, Muhammad Jane Alam, was shot dead in a similar manner just 500 metres from the same market. No arrests have been made in that case so far.
Since August 5, 2024, at least 21 people have been killed in Raozan, with 15 of the murders believed to be linked to political conflicts. Over the same period, more than 100 incidents of shootings and clashes have left over 350 people injured, many with gunshot wounds.
The latest killing has intensified fear among residents, who say Raozan is fast becoming a hotspot of deadly violence.