Ambulance carrying injured man fired upon in Khulna

An ambulance carrying a man shot in Khulna came under gunfire while transporting him to Dhaka early yesterday.

The injured -- Raju Hawlader, 38, of Shipyard area -- is accused in multiple cases, including murder and robbery, with several arrest warrants against him, police said.

He had sustained a gunshot wound to the abdomen in Labanchara on Monday and was admitted to Khulna Medical College Hospital. As his condition worsened, doctors decided to transfer him to Dhaka.

Around 12:30am, when the ambulance crossed Khan Jahan Ali Bridge and reached Kudir Bottola in Rupsha upazila, unidentified assailants opened fire.

Driver Md Faruk said bullets hit the vehicle, prompting him to rush to a nearby police station for safety.

Katakhali Highway Police Station OC Md Zafar Ahmed confirmed they were informed of the incident and provided security to ensure safe passage.

Labanchara Police Station OC Syed Mosharef Hossain told The Daily Star, “We are not sure who shot him or when. We learnt about the matter later through various sources.”

He added that Raju faces at least four cases, including two for robbery and two for murder, with arrest warrants issued.   “I am not aware of the attack on the ambulance,” the OC said.