Mohammadpur Duos Shared Past Raises Questions Amid Murder Probe
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Dhaka, Bangladesh – Khandaker Nayeem Ahmed Titon, a notorious figure on Bangladesh’s government-listed top criminals, was shot dead Tuesday night in the capital’s Newmarket area, sparking fears of renewed turf wars within the city’s underworld. Law enforcement agencies suspect the killing stems from long-standing rivalries among powerful factions in the Mohammadpur region, where Titon and two other prominent suspects, Imamul Hassan alias Picchi Helal and Sanjidul Islam Emon, once rose together through the ranks of organised crime.
The fatal shooting occurred around 7:45 PM in front of the Shahnewaz Hall student dormitory of Dhaka University, located on the western side of Newmarket. Two assailants, masked and riding a motorcycle, carried out the attack. One shooter, described as wearing a white shirt and a cap, fired six bullets into Titon’s forehead, head, and neck before fleeing the scene rapidly with his accomplice.
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Newmarket police are investigating the murder but, as of late Wednesday, had not identified any suspects or established a clear motive. Assistant Commissioner Md. Nasim-e Gulshan of the Newmarket region informed local media that while no direct leads had surfaced, investigators were pursuing technological analysis and witness testimonies to apprehend those responsible. Police sources, however, believe the killing is a direct result of internal conflicts within Dhaka’s criminal syndicate.
Titon’s brother, Khandaker Saeed Akter Ripon, filed a case with the Newmarket police station on Wednesday, refraining from naming specific defendants but identifying Picchi Helal and three of his associates—Badal alias Killer Badal, Shahjahan, and Ronnie alias Daggari Ronnie—as suspects. Ripon told *Prothom Alo*, a local daily, that Titon had a dispute with Picchi Helal over the lease of the Basila cattle market in Mohammadpur. Although Titon had informed him of a recent settlement to work together with Helal, Ripon suspects Helal was ultimately behind the murder.
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Ripon also clarified that he did not believe there was any conflict between Titon and Emon, citing Emon’s familial relation as Titon’s brother-in-law. Instead, Ripon raised suspicions about Tofael Ahmed Joseph, another notorious criminal, noting Titon had been an accused in the murder of Joseph’s brother, Saeed Ahmed Tipu. Ripon expressed confidence that law enforcement agencies would uncover the true perpetrators and motives.
Titon, Emon, and Picchi Helal were all prominent figures in the Mohammadpur criminal scene, known locally as the ‘City of God,’ having grown up together in the 1990s. Police sources indicated Titon had longstanding conflicts with Sanjidul Islam Emon over the illegal arms trade and territorial dominance, in addition to the recent cattle market dispute with Picchi Helal.
Records from police, old newspaper archives, and police reports reveal that Titon, Picchi Helal, Emon, and Tofael Ahmed Joseph were part of the same crime group in the 1990s, with Joseph reportedly leading the syndicate. By the mid-1990s, internal power struggles and disputes led Emon and Picchi Helal to form their separate gangs. Joseph himself was arrested in 1997 on a murder charge and sentenced to life imprisonment, later receiving a presidential pardon and release in 2018 under the Awami League government. While Joseph was incarcerated, his brother Abu Saeed Tipu and friend Emran were murdered in March 1999 by Emon’s gang, a case in which both Emon and Titon were accused.
In 2001, the police published a list of the country’s most wanted criminals, which included Emon, Titon, Picchi Helal, and Haris Ahmed – a brother of former army chief Aziz Ahmed and Joseph. Except for Haris Ahmed, the others were arrested and served lengthy prison sentences. Emon, Helal, and Titon were all released from prison in early August 2024, with Titon specifically granted bail on August 13, 2024. Their release, coinciding with a period of political transition, immediately reignited intense rivalries for control over the Mohammadpur area. While Emon reportedly fled abroad, Picchi Helal and Titon remained in the country, escalating their conflicts to a critical point.
Law enforcement officials reiterated that Titon’s murder is likely a direct consequence of these fierce, interest-driven power struggles within the Mohammadpur and surrounding areas’ criminal underworld.
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