Staff Reporter :
Motaleb Shikder, the Khulna divisional head of the National Citizen Party (NCP) and a central organiser of the party’s labour wing, Jatiya Sramik Shakti, was shot by unidentified assailants in Khulna on Monday morning, in an incident that police say is shrouded in mystery.
The shooting took place at around 11:45am at a rented house on Masjid Road, adjacent to Gazi Medical College Hospital. Witnesses said the attackers aimed at Shikder’s head before fleeing the scene immediately.
Police suspect that the shooting of Md Motaleb Shikder, occur an “internal dispute within the house.”
Animesh Mondal, officer-in-charge (investigation) of Sonadanga Model Police Station, said locals rescued the injured leader and rushed him to Khulna Medical College Hospital.
He was later transferred to the City Imaging Centre for advanced imaging tests. Doctors said the bullet did not penetrate his skull but ruptured the skin of his head, and that he is now out of danger.
Police said the motive behind the attack remains unclear and the identities of those involved have yet to be established. Law enforcement agencies have launched a drive to identify and arrest the assailants, officers said.
The case took a more complex turn after police searched the room where the shooting occurred and recovered a spent bullet shell casing along with equipment and remnants indicating drug use.
According to police, the house had been rented in November by a young woman named Tonni, who had been living there with her husband. Local sources said Shikder regularly visited the house.
Immediately after the incident, the tenant couple went into hiding. Khulna Metropolitan Police Deputy Commissioner (South) Tajul Islam said the disappearance of the couple has added to the mystery surrounding the case. He said efforts are underway to trace and arrest them for questioning.
Police officials said they are examining whether the shooting stemmed from a dispute involving drugs or a personal relationship, though they cautioned that the investigation is still at a preliminary stage.
The shooting comes amid heightened concern over political violence in the country. On 12 December, Inqilab Moncho spokesperson Sharif Osman Hadi was critically injured after being shot in Dhaka’s Paltan area.
After initial treatment in Dhaka, he was airlifted to Singapore for advanced medical care, where he died on 18 December. His killing sparked widespread protests and demands for swift justice.
Although Shikder survived the attack, the incident has intensified anxiety over the security of political organisers at a time of growing political tension, as police continue to search for those responsible.
