11 injured as masked assailants open fire in Ctg’s Raozan

“Everyone wore masks. There were at least 20 to 25 of them. When we arrived on the scene after receiving the news, they started shooting indiscriminately before we could understand what was happening. Some even started hacking. Those who could, ran in every possible direction to save their lives.”

This is how Md Jasim Uddin, 50, who was injured in an attack by a group of masked assailants in Raozan, Chittagong on Thursday, described the incident.

He said this while talking to reporters at the emergency ward of Chittagong Medical College Hospital yesterday afternoon.

Along with him, two others injured in the same incident, Zane Alam, 44, and Md Saifuddin, 31, are also admitted there.

The incident took place at Niramishpara village in Noapara Union around 10.30 pm on Thursday.

At least eleven persons were admitted to the CMCH, three of whom were still undergoing treatment while the rest were receiving first aid.

The incident started around 9pm when local shopkeeper Mohiuddin was returning home from Noapara Sadar through a dark road, which prevented him from seeing the attackers.

They stopped him, questioned him about a message he had sent to his phone and then proceeded to attack and hack him. At one point he managed to escape and return home injured.

Upon hearing the news, local residents gathered at the scene and the masked attackers opened fire indiscriminately.

Injured Jasim Uddin said: “I returned from abroad three months ago. Mohiuddin and we are all from the same household. When we heard that he had been attacked, we went to the spot. Mohiuddin was attacked because of a political message allegedly from his phone was sent, but he didn’t do anything like that. None of us are involved in politics.”

Several of those injured by the gunfire were being treated at various private hospitals in the upazila.

Dr. Rivu Raj Chakraborty, registrar of the emergency department at CMCH, said some of the injured were discharged after primary treatment. The other three have no gunshot wounds, but do have visible injuries.

According to local sources and police, the injured are residents of a house known as the former home of Khayez Ahmed, a former chairman of Noapara Union Parishad.

The masked attackers reportedly targeted his son, Kamal Uddin, who is known to be a follower of BNP central vice chairman Gias Uddin Quader Chowdhury.

According to local sources, the attackers are reportedly followers of Chattogram North District BNP chairman Golam Akbar Khandaker.

Police said the attack was led by Muhammad Mamun, identified as a follower of Khandaker.

Contacted, Khandaker said, “I have heard about the incident. Such actions are unacceptable in any form. If anyone from the party is found to be involved, appropriate action will be taken.”

Mir Mahabubur Rahman, chief constable of Raozan police station, said there has been a long-standing conflict between two BNP factions in Raozan.

A group of 20 to 25 armed assailants, led by Muhammad Mamun – a suspect in several cases – tried to attack Kamal Uddin, the son of Khayez Ahmed, on Thursday evening.

When locals intervened, the attackers fired indiscriminately, wounding twelve to fifteen bystanders.

The OC said this was not the first time the assailants attacked Kamal Uddin’s house; they had previously opened fire there several times.

Following the incident, police seized an abandoned motorcycle and several homemade weapons left by the attackers.

He also said no case has been filed yet.