A youth was shot dead by unidentified assailants at a tea stall in Dumuria upazila of Khulna on Thursday, coinciding with Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s visit to the district.
The deceased, Tarikul Islam Sheikh, 35, was the son of Abdus Salam Sheikh, convener of the BNP’s No 12 Rangpur Union unit.
The incident took place at around 1:45pm at Gaffar’s tea stall in the Jora Botola area of Amvita-Ramkrishnapur. The prime minister entered Khulna by road from Bagerhat at around 3pm.
According to local residents and eyewitnesses, Tarikul was sitting inside the tea stall when assailants entered and opened fire on him, killing him on the spot.
The motive behind the killing and the identities of the attackers were not immediately known.
Dumuria Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Khandaker Hafizur Rahman said he went to the scene after receiving information about the incident. Police have launched an investigation and are conducting operations in the area to identify and arrest those involved.
Khulna Superintendent of Police Omar Faruk said he had received reports that a young man had been shot.
"The motive behind the shooting is being investigated. Necessary action will be taken based on the findings," he said.
Earlier, on October 22, a man named Tushar, 35, was shot dead in the Mistripara area of Khulna city in the early hours of the day Prime Minister Tarique Rahman visited the Sundarbans, made a landing in Dacope and visited Mongla.
Later that evening, assailants shot dead Khushi Akter in the Jinnahpara area in front of her mother.
