A gunshot was fired at the personal car of popular singer and former Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) director Asif Akbar in the capital’s Moghbazar area early Saturday. Police recovered a bullet cartridge from inside the vehicle, but no one was injured.
The incident occurred in front of Bishal Center Market on the road from Moghbazar towards Wireless, where the car was parked on the footpath. Police suspect that a person arriving in a CNG-run auto-rickshaw may have fired at the vehicle.
Acting on a call to the national emergency service 999, Hatirjheel police visited the scene. In the presence of Asif Akbar and one of his friends, officers opened the car’s rear window and recovered a bullet cartridge from inside. The cartridge was subsequently seized and documented.
Police said Asif Akbar was in his office on the third floor of Bishal Center Market when the incident took place. Investigators have yet to determine whether he was the intended target or whether the incident stemmed from any personal or professional dispute.
Ibn-e-Mizan, deputy commissioner of police for the Tejgaon Division, said investigators were collecting CCTV footage to identify those involved.
“The motive behind the shooting is not yet clear, and Asif Akbar himself could not provide any information about it,” he said, adding that the car was in police custody and the investigation was proceeding along several leads.
Mohammad Abul Bashar Talukder, additional police commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police who is currently serving as acting commissioner, said several police teams were working to identify those responsible and bring them to justice.