Musabbir murder: DB detains ‘shooter, 2 others’

The Detective Branch (DB) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police has detained three individuals, including an alleged shooter, in connection with the murder of Swechchhasebak Dal leader Azizur Rahman Musabbir.

Another suspect involved in the killing has also been identified.

The DB, however, has yet to officially acknowledge the detentions.

The detainees are alleged shooter Zinnat, his associate Riaz and Billal, two senior DB officials and two officers directly involved in the investigation told The Daily Star. 

Musabbir, the former general secretary of the Swe col chchhasebak Dal’s Dhaka North City unit, was shot dead on January 7 when assailants opened fire on him and another man, Abu Sufian Bepari Masud, general secretary of Tejgaon Van Workers’ Union, in an alley near Kazi Nazrul Islam Avenue. 

Sufian sustained bullet injuries and is undergoing treatment at a hospital.

Within hours of the attack, CCTV footage of the incident spread on social media.

The footage shows two suspects sitting with a sack in an alley behind a restaurant. As soon as they spotted Musabbir, they pulled a pistol from the sack and shot him from behind. Musabbir collapsed to the ground, but later got up and attempted to flee. 

During the chaos, his mobile phone fell, which the shooters took before fleeing. 

The footage also shows a bearded man standing beside the shooters.

The day after the murder, Musabbir’s wife filed a case with Tejgaon Police Station against four to five unidentified individuals. Following this, the DB launched an investigation.

Multiple DB teams carried out coordinated raids early Saturday in Gazipur and Manikganj, according to DB officials. Zinnat was arrested from Gazipur’s Boatbazar area, while Billal and Riaz were picked up from Manikganj.

Billal is the bearded man seen in the CCTV footage; he planned the murder, which was later executed by shooters Zinnat and Rahim, with Riaz acting as an associate, according to the DB officials. The suspects had previously attempted to kill Musabbir but failed.

Rahim, who remains on the run, is Billal’s brother. 

Several other individuals have been taken into custody for interrogation as part of the investigation.

Contacted, DB Chief Shafiqul Islam denied that any “shooter” had been arrested. 

Around 60 people have been questioned so far in connection with the murder, but no arrests have been made, said Shafiqul, also an additional commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police.