Two shot dead in Pabna over ‘cattle market lease dispute’

A cattle market leaseholder and a local BNP leader were shot to death by unidentified miscreants reportedly over the market lease dispute in Pabna Sadar upazila on Thursday evening.

The deceased were identified as Abdus Salam, 54, the leaseholder of the Pushpapara Cattle Haat, and Ripon, 30, a local BNP leader, both hailing from Dharmagram village.

According to police and locals, a group of 5-7 assailants stormed Salam's business establishment at Pushpapara Bazar around 6:30pm and opened fire on the duo before fleeing the scene.

Locals rescued them and took them to Pabna General Hospital, where the attending doctor declared them dead on arrival.

Salam had been the leaseholder of the cattle market for the last 20 years, locals said.

Pabna Superintendent of Police Abu Ashraf said initial investigations indicate the killings stemmed from a dispute over the market lease between two rival factions.

Officer-in-Charge of Ataikula Police Station Pradip Kumar Saha said police were working to identify the perpetrators and uncover the motive.