Businessman hacked to death outside home in Sylhet

A businessman was hacked to death by assailants outside his home in Sylhet early Monday (August 24).

The victim, Shahab Uddin, lived in the Shahparan Islamabad area on the outskirts of Sylhet city. He owned a grocery business at Charkhai Bazar in Beanibazar upazila, where his ancestral home is located.

The attack took place around midnight on Sunday in the Shahparan area, police and family members said.

According to his family, Shahab was attacked near his residence and left critically injured on the road.

His younger son, Redwan Ahmed, said a local resident alerted him that his father had been stopped by unidentified people. He rushed to the scene and found Shahab lying on the road with severe injuries.

"He had three deep cuts on his neck and was covered in blood," Redwan said, adding that his father died on the way to hospital.

Shahab was the father of two sons and two daughters. His elder son lives in France. The family said they were unaware of any previous dispute involving the businessman.

Police recovered the body during the night and sent it to the morgue of Sylhet MAG Osmani Medical College Hospital for autopsy.

Mohammad Monir Hossain, officer-in-charge (OC) of Shahparan Police Station, confirmed the recovery and said legal procedures were underway.

Sylhet Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sarwar Murshed Shamim and other senior officers visited the scene. Additional Deputy Commissioner (Media) Manzur Ahmed said police were working to identify those responsible and determine the motive behind the killing.

The killing comes less than two weeks after another businessman and three members of his household were found dead at their home in Sylhet’s Raynagar area on August 12. Police later arrested a suspect in that case. While police initially described the incident as a robbery, the victim's expatriate children filed a case alleging a property dispute was behind the killings.