BNP leader shot dead during ongoing special joint operation in Khulna
A BNP leader, Rafiqul Islam (35), was shot dead by miscreants in Khulna. The incident took place today, Friday, at around 12:30 pm at Kazipara Bazar in the Mathabhanga under Lobonchora thana in the city.
The deceased, Rafiqul Islam, was from Jalma union in Batiaghata upazila. He was a member of the convening committee of the Batiaghata upazila BNP. He had also previously served as the joint general secretary of the Fatullah thana unit of the Swechchhasebak Dal. He was also known as “Dhakaiya Rafiq.”
There are multiple photos of him with senior BNP leaders and Members of Parliament on social media, particularly Facebook.
Asabur Rahman Howladar, member-secretary of the Jalma union BNP in Batiaghata, said that Rafiqul Islam was a member of the Batiaghata upazila BNP. The same identity is also mentioned on his Facebook profile.
According to police and local sources, Rafiqul Islam was sitting at Kazipara Bazar in Lobonchora police station area around 12:30 pm today. At that time, an assailant wearing a helmet arrived on a motorcycle, shot him, and quickly fled the scene. Locals rushed him to the hospital in critical condition, where doctors declared him dead. His body was later kept at the morgue of Khulna Medical College Hospital.
Rezaur Rahman, Deputy Commissioner of the Khulna Metropolitan Police (South Division), told Prothom Alo, “After 12:30 pm on Friday, Rafiqul Islam was sitting at a market in a remote area of Lobonchora thana. A helmeted assailant arrived on a motorcycle and shot him in the lower abdomen before fleeing. Locals rescued him and took him to the hospital, where doctors declared him dead.”
He further said, “The deceased Rafiqul Islam mostly lived in Dhaka and occasionally visited his home area. His political identity has not yet been fully confirmed, but he was involved in the stone business. Police are conducting operations in various areas to identify and arrest the assailant.
A special joint operation is currently underway in Khulna city to curb terrorism, extortion, and drug trafficking. Amid this, the daylight killing has caused concern among city residents.
According to police information, 17 murders have taken place in Khulna city from January to June this year. Links have been found to various criminal groups in the 34 murders that occurred after the mass uprising.