Armed assailants opened fire at the residence of a businessman early Saturday morning, allegedly after failing to extort Tk5 crore.
The incident took place around 6:30am in the Chandanpura area, targeting the home of Mostafizur Rahman, chairman of Smart Group. The property had been under police protection following a previous shooting in January. No casualties were reported.
Mostafizur said the attack was carried out by followers of fugitive criminal Sajjad Ali, reportedly operating from abroad. According to Mostafizur, Sajjad initially demanded Tk10 crore, later reducing the amount to Tk5 crore. When the demand was not met, gunmen allegedly attacked the house on January 2, damaging windows and doors with gunfire. Despite police security being deployed afterward, the house was targeted again.
Mostafizur told reporters he had received a threatening WhatsApp message about 20 days ago containing the words: “wait and see.” On Saturday morning, masked gunmen armed with sophisticated weapons fired six to seven rounds at the rear of the house before fleeing.
CCTV footage showed four masked individuals approaching the residence. One was seen holding two pistols, while the others carried what appeared to be a submachine gun (SMG), a Chinese rifle, and a shotgun.
A team led by Deputy Commissioner (South) Hossain Kabir Bhuiyan of Chittagong Metropolitan Police visited the scene. He said the attackers arrived in a private car and a motorcycle, parked at a distance, and walked to the residence before opening fire. Police suspected the involvement of fugitive criminal Sajjad Ali, also known as “Boro Sajjad.”
Authorities believed several of Sajjad’s close associates, including Mohammad Raihan and Borhan, may have been involved, and efforts are underway to apprehend them.
When asked whether he would file a case, Mostafizur expressed frustration, saying the attack occurred despite police presence.
Sajjad Ali has long been linked to organized crime in Chittagong. He first gained notoriety in 1999 following the killing of a councilor and was later accused of leading the 2000 “Eight Murder” case in Bahaddarhat, though he was acquitted due to lack of evidence. Arrested later that year with an AK-47 rifle, he secured bail and reportedly left the country in 2004. Since then, law enforcement agencies allege he has continued to control a criminal network from overseas.
Police said Sajjad remained on Interpol’s wanted list under the name Sajjad Khan. His network was believed to operate across multiple police stations in the city and surrounding districts, engaging in extortion and contract killings.
Investigations into Saturday’s attack are ongoing.