A union parishad member has been gunned down in broad daylight by a group of unknown assailants in Baghaichhari upazila of Rangamati.
The victim has been identified as Samar Bijay Chakma, 40, a member of ward 1 in Rupkari union. He was also a leader of Jana Sanghati Samity (JSS MN-Larma) group.
Witnesses said two armed men came on a motorcycle and shot Bijoy, who was at the Baghaichhari upazila project implementation officer’s (PIO) office at the time.
Bijoy died on the spot.
The attackers immediately fled the area, firing in the air.
Confirming the matter, Baghaichhari police station Sub-Inspector Md Asad said: “Informed, members of Border Guard Bangladesh and police rushed to the scene, recovered the body and cordoned off the scene of the crime.
“The body has been sent to Khagrachhari General Hospital for autopsy. Legal action will be taken after investigating the incident.”
Currently, tension is high in the area and so BGB and police patrols have been intensified, he added.
Meanwhile, Josi Chakma, general secretary of the Baghaichhari police station committee of the JSS MN-Larma group, said in a statement that the armed leader of the JSS Santu-Larma group came to the PIO office and shot dead their student affairs secretary. “I strongly condemn this killing and call for the immediate arrest of the terrorists. I also demand a fair trial.”
Denying the allegations, Tridip Chakma, general secretary of the Baghaichhari police station committee of the JSS Santu-Larma group, said: “Our party has no terrorist activities. The incident took place due to their intra-group dispute.”