Police in Bangladesh have arrested a senior local politician in connection with the fatal shooting of a opposition youth leader and a major robbery involving 150 bhori of gold valued at approximately 30 million taka (£200,000).

Golam Zahid, president of the Magura District Volunteers’ Wing (Swechchhasebak Dal), was apprehended during an early-morning operation in the Uttara neighbourhood of Dhaka on Tuesday, 3 November. According to Magura District Superintendent of Police, Molla Azad Hossain, Mr Zahid had been in hiding since the targeted killing occurred in late October. His arrest marks a significant breakthrough in an ongoing investigation that has sent shockwaves through the local political landscape.

The primary victim, Saker Hossain, served as a joint convener of the Municipal Youth Wing (Jubo Dal) in Magura. Outside his political duties, he worked as a counter manager for the Royal Express bus service at the Parnanduali Central Bus Terminal in Magura town. The fatal incident occurred during the early hours of 21 October, when assailants arriving on two motorcycles opened fire while Mr Hossain was on duty. He collapsed in his chair after sustaining point-blank gunshot wounds, dying at the scene before help could arrive.

Investigating officers are pursuing multiple leads, attempting to determine whether Mr Hossain’s assassination and the massive gold robbery are directly connected or represent linked criminal enterprises.

With Mr Zahid’s arrest, the total number of individuals detained in relation to the case stands at five. Sub-Inspector Md Kamruzzaman of the District Detective Branch confirmed that previous arrests included Md Maruf Hossain, convener of the Municipal Swechchhasebak Dal, alongside Rony Shikdar, a member of the Dhaka Metropolitan South Jubo Dal, and Shamima Yasmin Lubna. Following an intensive five-day remand period granted by the court, information extracted from Mr Maruf enabled detectives to recover five stolen gold bars.

Additionally, police have taken Animesh Majumder, proprietor of Gini House—a jewellery establishment located in neighbouring Jhenaidah district—into custody under suspicion of receiving stolen property linked to the heist. Joint teams from the district police and detective branch continue to search for the remaining missing bullion while interrogating the primary suspects to map out the full hierarchy of the plot.