Surge in shootings leaves eleven wounded in Noakhali’s Begumganj as police remain unable to make arrests
Photo Collected
A surge in gun violence has gripped Begumganj in Noakhali, with six separate shooting incidents reported in the first 22 days of August alone. These attacks have left at least 11 people wounded, including school teachers, political activists, and business owners. Despite the frequency of the violence, law enforcement has yet to make any arrests or recover the illegal firearms used in the assaults.
The shootings have occurred across several areas, including Alaiyapur, Gopalpur, the Chaumuhani Hawker Market, and Bangla Bazar. While police have not identified specific motives or the origins of the weapons, local victims and residents attribute the unrest to territorial dominance, long-standing personal vendettas, and political factionalism.
The most recent incident took place late Saturday night at Bangla Bazar in the Jiratoli Union. Witnesses reported that 10 to 12 masked gunmen arrived at the market, detonated several crude bombs, and opened indiscriminate fire. Three people, including a school teacher, were wounded in the attack.
Previous incidents include an August 6 shooting at the Chaumuhani Hawker Market targeting Abul Kashem, a former religious affairs secretary of the district BNP, which resulted in a bystander being struck by a stray bullet. On August 9, Sohag Hossain Sohel, a local Jubo Dal leader, was wounded by pellets in Gopalpur. Other attacks include the August 12 shooting of a 22-year-old man during an attempted extortion bid in Alaiyapur and an August 17 incident in Moshakpur village where five members of an event management firm were shot while traveling to a ceremony.
Local political figures have expressed alarm, suggesting that the perpetrators operate under the shield of political influence, frequently shifting allegiances to the party in power to evade accountability. BNP leader Kamakhya Chandra Dash expressed frustration over the police response, stating that the lack of arrests has emboldened criminal elements. He emphasized that his party does not support any criminals and demanded a thorough investigation into the violence.
In response to the criticism, Begumganj Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Md. Shamsuzzaman maintained that law enforcement is operating with full sincerity to apprehend the suspects. He acknowledged that the political connections of the perpetrators often assist them in remaining in hiding, complicating search operations.
While the police have not finalized a formal list of active armed criminals, the OC confirmed that criminal activity remains concentrated in the western unions of Chayani, Amanullahpur, Gopalpur, and Alaiyapur, as well as parts of the Hajipur and Chaumuhani municipal areas. Residents in these regions continue to live in fear as the wave of violence remains unchecked.
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