High-Profile Criminal Khandakar Naim Ahmed Teton Assassinated over Cattle Market Tender Dispute

The family of notorious underworld figure Khandakar Naim Ahmed Teton, also known as Naim Ahmed Teton, has alleged that his assassination was the direct result of a dispute involving the lease of the Bochila sacrificial cattle market. Teton, who was once ranked second on the government’s list of the country’s 23 most-wanted “top terrorists,” was shot dead at the Bottola area of Dhaka’s New Market at approximately 20:00 on Tuesday.

Following the incident, the victim’s elder brother, Khandakar Sayeed Akter Ripon, filed a formal murder case at New Market Police Station on Wednesday morning (29 April 2026). The First Information Report (FIR) names eight to nine unidentified individuals as defendants. Mohammad Ayub, the Officer-in-Charge (OC) of New Market Police Station, confirmed the filing of the case and stated that investigations are currently underway.

Details of the Rivalry and Predetermined Meeting

The formal complaint highlights an ongoing conflict regarding the leasing process for the Bochila cattle market. It specifically mentions disputes with other high-profile criminals, including Imamul Hasan Helal (alias Picchi Helal), Badal (alias Killer Badal or Kaila Badal), Shahjahan, and Rony (alias Daggari Rony).

According to the case statement, Teton was released from prison on bail on 13 August 2024 after serving a lengthy sentence. Following his release, he had expressed a desire to lead a lawful life and frequently communicated with his family via mobile applications to apologise for the financial and social hardships his criminal past had caused them. He recently informed his brother that he had purchased the necessary tender schedules for the Bochila market lease, intending to establish a legitimate business.

However, on 26 April, Teton informed his brother that tensions were escalating with the aforementioned group over the tender. On 27 April, he mentioned that he had been summoned to a meeting under the guise of resolving the dispute through mutual cooperation. It was shortly after this suspected orchestration that the family received news at 23:00 on Tuesday that Teton had been brought to Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) with gunshot wounds sustained near Shahnewaz Hall.

Police Investigation and Underworld Dynamics

S.N. Md. Nazrul Islam, the Additional Commissioner of Police (Crime and Operations) for the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP), confirmed that the killing was an organised hit executed by rival criminal elements. While the cattle market tender is a primary motive, the police are also investigating the possibility of a broader struggle for dominance within the capital’s underworld.

The police have identified several individuals suspected of participating in the “killing mission,” including Badal, Shahjahan, “Bhaigna” Rony, Sunny, Suman, Prince, “Lambu” Alam, and Parvez. Intelligence suggests the operation was highly coordinated:

• A two-member team on a motorcycle shadowed Teton from his residence in the Sultanganj area.

• A three-member backup team was stationed near Gate No. 1 of New Market.

• The motorcycle team intercepted Teton near New Market Bottola, where they opened fire before fleeing the scene.

A Cycle of Retaliation

Teton’s history is inextricably linked to some of the most infamous crimes in Bangladesh’s judicial history. He was a member of the Sanjidul Islam Emon syndicate, which was involved in the 1999 “brushfire” shooting in Nikunja that killed Tipu, the brother of top terrorist Joseph Ahmed. This syndicate was also implicated in the high-profile murder of actor Sohel Chowdhury at the Trumps Club in Gulshan and the killing of Dhaka City Chhatra League General Secretary Ashru.

Security analysts note that following the political shifts after 5 August 2024, several high-profile criminals—including Killer Abbas, Arman, Emon, Picchi Helal, Freedom Rasu, and Teton—were released on bail. Their return to the public sphere has coincided with a resurgence in gang-related violence.

The police have drawn parallels between Teton’s death and the public assassination of Tariq Saif Mamun on 10 November 2023. Investigation into Mamun’s death revealed it was a retaliatory act for the 1999 Tipu murder, in which Teton and Mamun were co-conspirators. The authorities believe that the recent releases of these figures have reignited long-standing blood feuds, leading to the current wave of violence over lucrative tenders and territorial control.

The body of Khandakar Naim Ahmed Teton was handed over to his brother, Ripon, on Wednesday afternoon following a post-mortem examination at the DMCH morgue. Ripon reiterated to journalists that while Teton hoped for reconciliation, the pressure regarding the Bochila market from Picchi Helal’s group remained the focal point of his concerns prior to his death.