Gangsters Surveil Police Before Shooting Businessman’s Residence

In a brazen display of lawlessness in the port city of Chittagong, armed assailants targeted the residence of a prominent businessman on Friday morning, reportedly executing the attack after conducting sophisticated surveillance on nearby police movements. Despite the presence of heavily armed police officers stationed just 50 yards from the scene, the gunmen fired approximately 15 rounds at the property before making a clean escape in a waiting microbus.

The target of the assault was the Chandanpura residence of Mujibur Rahman, the proprietor of the Chittagong-based Smart Group and a former Member of Parliament for the Chittagong-16 constituency. Mr Rahman, who previously served as the Vice-President of the South District unit of the Awami League, has been in hiding since the mass uprising on 5 August 2024.

Key Details of the Incident and Suspects

Systematic Surveillance and Police Lapses

Investigations reveal that the attackers closely monitored a temporary police checkpoint established specifically for Mr Rahman’s security following previous extortion threats. On the night of the attack, an Assistant Sub-Inspector and three Constables were on duty, armed with Sub-Machine Guns (SMGs). However, citing the severe morning cold, the officers moved inside a nearby school building at dawn.

The gunmen, identified as eight masked individuals, capitalised on this brief absence. CCTV footage shows five youths approaching the front of the house while three others positioned themselves at the rear. After discharging multiple rounds, they fled toward the Bakalia Access Road. Disturbingly, senior police officials were only notified of the shooting three hours after it occurred, as the officers on the ground failed to report the gunfire.

The Shadow of Sajjad Ali

Law enforcement agencies believe the attack was orchestrated by the “Sajjad Force,” led by the notorious criminal Sajjad Ali (listed as Sajjad Hossain Khan on Interpol’s website). Sajjad, who remains at large, is accused of running a vast extortion and contract-killing syndicate that terrorises over 500,000 residents across five police jurisdictions, including Chandgaon and Bayezid Bostami. Following the August uprising, his followers have been linked to at least ten murders in the region.

Security Directives and Legal Vacuum

The failure to intercept the attackers is particularly notable given a standing order from Chittagong Metropolitan Police (CMP) Commissioner Hasib Aziz, issued on 11 November last year. Under this directive, police patrols were authorised to use SMGs to “fire on sight” at any armed terrorists spotted in the city.

Despite the severity of the attack—and a prior extortion demand of 10 million Taka made from an international phone number—no formal case has been filed as of Saturday evening. Mr Rahman, citing a lack of fear despite the 15 bullets fired at his home, has expressed reluctance to submit a written complaint, questioning the necessity of legal action. Nevertheless, the CMP’s Detective Branch and specialized units are continuing their investigation into the security breach and the whereabouts of the masked gunmen.