BNP leader shot dead in Khulna

A BNP leader was shot dead by unidentified assailants after they entered a shop in Rupsha upazila of Khulna on Thursday night.

The incident took place at around 10:15pm in Swalpa Bahirdia village of the upazila, Khulna Additional Superintendent of Police Abir Siddiqui Shuvro confirmed.

The victim was identified as Md Zakir Hossain, 43, a resident of Khajdanga village under No 4 TSB Union of Rupsha upazila. He was the son of Abdul Jalil Sheikh and worked in the brick and sand business.

Zakir was a member of the union BNP's search committee, a special committee formed for the party's organisational restructuring, police said.

According to police, two helmet-wearing men arrived on a motorcycle from the direction of Fakirhat in Bagerhat and stopped beside a shop in Swalpa Bahirdia village.

Zakir was sitting inside the shop at the time. One of the assailants entered the shop and shot him in the head. The two men then fled towards Fakirhat on their motorcycle.

Local residents rescued Zakir and took him to Rupsha Upazila Health Complex, where he died while undergoing treatment.

ASP Abir said police from Rupsha Police Station visited the scene after receiving the information. Police were working to determine the motive behind the killing and identify and arrest those involved.