Mirpur Swechhasebak Dal leader shot, one gunman held

A leader of the Mirpur Thana Swechhasebak Dal was critically injured in a shooting in the capital's Mirpur area on Tuesday night (July 7), while police arrested one of the suspected attackers along with a firearm.

The incident took place around 9:30pm beneath Chourangi Market in Mirpur-10, where Saiful Islam Siju, 40, joint convener of Mirpur Thana Swechchhasebak Dal, was allegedly targeted by armed assailants.

Locals rushed the injured leader to Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH), where he is undergoing treatment.

According to police, one of the attackers fired four rounds at Saiful Islam in front of a residential building near Chourangi Market before attempting to flee. While escaping, the assailants allegedly fired two additional blank rounds, creating panic in the area.

Hearing the gunfire, local residents chased the suspects. One of them reportedly took shelter inside Munshibari Mosque in the Senpara Parbata area under Kafrul Police Station, where locals apprehended him before handing him over to police.

Police later identified the suspect as Shanta Bhuiya and recovered a pistol from his possession. He is currently being interrogated.

Confirming the incident, Mirpur Police Station Officer-in-Charge Hafizur Rahman said investigators have yet to determine the exact motive behind the attack. However, preliminary findings suggest the shooting may have stemmed from a previous dispute.

The OC said two attackers were involved in the incident, and efforts are underway to arrest the other suspect.

He added that Saiful Islam is scheduled to undergo surgery on Wednesday and is currently in stable condition.