A city councillor and leader of opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party was shot dead by unidentified gunmen when he was coming out of a mosque in the capital on Tuesday.
Ahamad Hossain, councillor of Dhaka City Corporation ward-70 was shot dead Tuesday night as he was leaving Alubazar Masjid at Bangshal.
“As soon as the councillor came out of the mosque after Esha prayers, two criminals fired three bullets at him and sped away on a motorbike,” police said. The councillor received two bullets in his throat.
He was rushed to Dhaka Medical College Hospital and later moved to Square Hospital where he died around 10 pm local time.
The reason behind the attack and the criminals’ identities could not be ascertained, police said.
The victim was also a leader of Dhaka city unit of Juba Dal, the youth front of the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP).
After the attack, business establishments in the area were closed and vehicular movement was suspended as locals took to the streets in protest.
Meanwhile, BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia visited the city’s Square Hospital Tuesday night to see the body of slain leader.