Sramik League leader shot dead in Bagerhat

Unidentified miscreants have shot and killed Sohag Sheikh, 42, upazila general secretary of Jatiya Sramik League and a businessman, in Mollahat upazila, Bagerhat. The incident occurred around 10:30 pm on Saturday, March 14, on the road in front of Paner Hat in the upazila.

The deceased, Sohag Sheikh, was the son of Daud Sheikh from Udaypur village in the upazila. He ran a business of corrugated iron sheets, sanitaryware and hardware under the name 'Sheikh Traders' at Mollahat Bazar.

According to local sources and police, Sohag Sheikh was returning home on a motorcycle after closing his shop at Chourangi More in Mollahat upazila headquarters on Saturday night. When he reached in front of Paner Hat, unidentified miscreants on a motorcycle opened fire at him from the front. Locals rescued him in a critical condition and rushed him to Mollahat Upazila Health Complex, where the doctor on duty declared him dead.

An autopsy on Sohag Sheikh's body was completed at the morgue of Bagerhat 250-Bed District Hospital on Sunday afternoon. Doctors found a total of six bullet wounds on his body. Earlier, preliminary observations had revealed five bullet wounds on his chest and head.

No case has been filed yet regarding the incident. However, Bagerhat Additional Superintendent of Police (Crime and Ops) Md Abu Rasel said police have begun working to identify the gunmen.

It is to be noted that on the night of March 7, police had rescued Nur Islam, 27, a sales representative of Sohag Sheikh's shop, in a bullet-hit condition. Although a week has passed since that incident, no case was filed. Meanwhile, the killing of shop owner Sohag Sheikh by gunfire has spread extreme fear among local businessmen.