Double murder in car 'plotted by Chhoto Sajjad, wife', says victim's mother

The mother of one of those killed in broad daylight in a car chase in Chattogram has alleged that recently arrested "criminal" Chhoto Sajjad and his wife "planned" the attack.

Firoza Begum, mother of Bakhteyar Hossain Manik, made the allegation in a murder case filed against seven people with Bakalia police three days after the incident on Tuesday.

The prime accused in the case are Sajjad Hossain alias Chhoto Sajjad, a listed criminal according to police who was arrested in Dhaka on Mar 15, and his wife Sharmin Akter Tamanna.

Others who face charges are Md Hasan, Mobarak Hossain Emon, and two identified with single names–Raihan and Burhan.

Apart from them, seven unidentified people were also named, Bakalia police chief Ikhtiar Uddin told bdnews24.com.

Sarwar Hossain Babla, a listed criminal according to police, was in the car chased by motorcycles in the early hours of Sunday. The motorcyclists rained down bullets at the car, killing two and injuring two others in the process.

Injured Md Robin and the family of the deceased suspect that followers of Chhoto Sajjad, a recently arrested criminal, carried out the attack targeting him.

The dead were Manik and Md Abdullah, both between 30 and 36 years of age.

Chawkbazar Police Station chief Zahidul Kabir told bdnews24.com that assailants gave chase to the car from Baklia Rajakhali Bridge and shot them on the Chandanpura-Baklia Access Road.

In her statement, Firoza Begum said Manik was Sarwar's driver and Abdullah used to work as an aide. As such, Abdullah developed a friendship with Manik.

Everyone, including Sarwar, used to chat in the city’s New Bridge area during the fast. The statement also alleged their car was attacked on the way back from a chat at night.

The statement claimed that Choto Sajjad and his wife Tamanna had planned to attack the car with the intention of killing Sarwar and others.

Robin, who was in the car, believes Sarwar may have played a role in the arrest of Sajjad, prompting Sajjad’s followers to try and kill him.

He is now receiving treatment at Chattogram Medical College Hospital.

Sajjad was arrested in Dhaka's Bashundhara City Shopping Complex on Mar 15.

Chawkbazar Police Station chief Zahidul Kabir told bdnews24.com after the incident that assailants gave chase to the car from Baklia Rajakhali Bridge and shot them on the Chandanpura-Baklia Access Road.

Six passengers were in the car, with Manik in the driver’s seat and Sarwar sitting beside him, Robin later said.

“Sometime after getting out of Balur Mahal using the Shah Amanat Bridge, several motorcyclists started shooting at us. Although we were supposed to head for Bahaddarhat, we instead took the Bakalia Access Road to save our lives. Abdullah was shot in the car.”