One shot dead, buses burnt and cocktails blasted

One person was killed in daylight shooting while several buses were torched and two cocktails blasted at different places in Dhaka since morning in a spell of violence Monday, incidentally amid political tensions.

Police and witnesses said assailants shot Tarif Sayed Mamun, 55, pointblank in front of the gate of Dhaka National Medical Institute Hospital (DNMIH) in the old part of the capital city.

"The man was seen lying on the ground with bullet wounds at around 11:00 am. At least two miscreants fired at him from a very close range," says spot account of the shootings as given by the sources.

He was rushed to Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) in critical condition where doctors declared him dead.

Ward master at DNMIH Mohibullah said around 11:00am gunshots were heard near the hospital, and on checking, they found the victim lying on the road in a pool of blood in front of the main gate.

"My brother Sayed Mamun was an ordinary man and not involved in politics. I have no idea who killed him or why," said victim's cousin Hafiz.

Meanwhile, CCTV footage circulating on social media shows two gunmen approaching the victim in front of the hospital and firing at him before fleeing the scene.

A source within the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) said the deceased was a "listed top gangster". He was once an associate of another "top gangster", Sanjidul Islam Emon.

The two had allegedly been embroiled in a long-running conflict over control of Dhaka's criminal gangland.

The CCTV footage of the shooting incident shows Mamun attempting to run away while two men firing at him from a close range.

"The entire incident unfolded within three to four seconds. After firing the shots, the two assailants fled the scene," adds the spot account.

Mamun's family says he had stayed at a rented flat in Badda in the capital for the past two days. He was due to appear before a court in the morning in connection with a case, and left home early for that purpose.

Mamun's wife, Bilkis Akter, says they believe associates of top-listed criminal Sanjidul Islam Emon are behind the killing. "Emon's men had attempted to kill Mamun previously, too."

Police said that that Emon and Mamun were once notorious figures in the Hazaribagh, Dhanmondi, Mohammadpur and Tejgaon areas. Their gang was known as the 'Emon-Mamun' group.

Both are accused in the murder cases of film-actor Sohel Chowdhury and Saeed Ahmed Tipu, brother of former army chief Aziz Ahmed.

According to national ID records, Mamun's family home is in Lakshmipur, and he was born in 1970.

Kotwali police station sub-inspector Md Yasin says upon hearing gunshots, he went to the spot in front of the National Medical Institute Hospital where he saw the individual lying wounded. He learned that the shots had been fired "from a very close range".

In-charge of the Dhaka Medical College Hospital police camp Inspector Md Faruk says the body has been kept in the morgue.

Meanwhile, two buses were set on fire in Merul Badda and Shahjadpur areas in the morning. No major harm was done to the passengers, who panicked out of the vehicles.

In what appears to be a chain of violent act, crude bombs were hurled at the Grameen Bank headquarters and the fisheries adviser's business establishment in the capital.

Talking to reporters on the day's incidents, another interim government adviser, Syeda Rizwana Hasan, said election is on track in the process of transition from the post-uprising interim regime and such sabotage cannot deter the polls. "Nothing doing--the government has launched both proactive and reactive actions. They (saboteurs) ought to carry this clear message."

The adviser sends in a government message for the people against such scaremongering: "Don't get scared."

Meanwhile, a bus belonging to Shanto-Mariam University caught fire on Monday evening outside LabAid Hospital in the capital's Dhanmondi area.

The incident caused panic among locals, pedestrians, and nearby hospital visitors.

According to the Fire Service and Civil Defence, the incident occurred at around 7:30 pm. Two firefighting units from Mohammadpur Fire Station rushed to the scene upon receiving the alert and began efforts to bring the blaze under control.

Duty officer at the fire-service control room Khaleda Yasmin said two units from Mohammadpur Fire Station reached the spot immediately after receiving information about the bus fire. "The cause of the fire could not be determined immediately."

The fire-service officials were yet to confirm whether there were any passengers on board or if the bus had been parked at the time.

Witnesses say a group of seven to eight youngmen were walking past the bus moments before it suddenly caught fire.

Authorities have not ruled out the possibility of 'sabotage' or accident.

They will carry out an investigation into the incident.

Earlier in the day (Monday), two other buses also caught fire in Merul Badda and Shahjadpur, both involving vehicles of Victor Paribahan.

The recurrence of such incidents within a short span of time has raised concerns about bus safety and possible arson in the capital.

No casualties were reported in the Dhanmondi fire as of the time of filing this report at around 8:30 pm.

Firefighters managed to contain the flames and prevent them from spreading to nearby structures. Traffic in the area remained suspended during the operation.

talhabinhabib@yahoo.com