Police are still in the dark about the motive behind the killing of 25-year-old Rakibul Islam, who was stabbed and shot by assailants near the Central Shaheed Minar in the capital.
Although one person has been detained from the scene, the main attackers remain at large.
Police say multiple operations are underway to arrest those responsible, and the detained individual is currently being questioned by the Detective Branch (DB).
Shahbagh Police Station officer-in-Charge (OC) Md Moniruzzaman told Dhaka Tribune on Monday that a case has been filed in connection with the incident.
He said the person detained at the scene is being interrogated, but the exact motive behind the murder has not yet been determined. Efforts to arrest the main suspects are ongoing.
The OC added that Rakibul was a student of Borhanuddin Post Graduate College and was also active on TikTok. Police are investigating various aspects, including his social media activity, to determine the motive.
Shahbagh Police Station Sub-Inspector (SI) Md Mithu Fakir said to the Dhaka Tribune that Rakib was taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital after being critically injured. Doctors initially tried to treat him in critical condition, but he was declared dead at 10:33pm.
Police are attempting to collect CCTV footage from the area and are also examining Rakib’s phone call records and TikTok account as part of the investigation.
Rakibul was originally from Choumuhani village in Bhola Sadar upazila. His father, Tarikul Islam Khokon, works as an employee at Kuwait Maitree Hall of Dhaka University. The family lives on Nazimuddin Road in Nimtoli in the capital. Rakib was a second-year undergraduate student at Borhanuddin College.
Speaking to Dhaka Tribune, Rakib’s father said that his son had good relations with his friends and they were not aware of any enemies. “I want justice for my son’s murder from the government and the state,” he said.
Rakib’s friend Alamin said they were hanging out at the Central Shaheed Minar at night when several youths suddenly attacked Rakib, stabbing him repeatedly and shooting him before fleeing the scene.
According to Shahbagh police, the incident took place around 9:15pm on Sunday while Rakib was sitting on the stairs of the Central Shaheed Minar with friends. Three to four attackers stabbed him indiscriminately and shot him in the head before escaping. Rakib was rushed to Dhaka Medical College Hospital in critical condition, where doctors declared him dead around 10:30pm.