Shawdesh DEsk:

In a prompt action, police have thwarted an attempt to assassinate Bashundhara Group Managing Director and Sheikh Russel Krira Chakra Limited Chairman Sayem Sobhan Anvir.

The attempt on the life of the country’s leading industrialist and one of the biggest sports patrons has caused serious concerns among top industrialists, businessmen and common people, who called for a stern action against the plotters of the killing attempt.

They said this type of heinous attempt must be taken seriously and the authorities concerned should identify the conspirators and bring them to justice so that none can dare to go for such an evil attempt in future.

Former and serving diplomats have also urged the authorities concerned to take an all-out action to arrest the masterminds as this type of incident may send a negative message to the international arena at a time when Bangladesh is moving fast towards achieving the developing country status in 2026.

Police on Friday morning arrested a youth from Bashundhara Residential Area of the capital on suspicion of his involvement in a plot to assassinate the Bashundhara Group Managing Director.

The arrestee was identified as Saiful Islam Saad, 23, a student of Sautul Quran Madrasah and Orphanage situated in the Bashundhara Residential Area.

Major (retd) Sheikh Mohammad Mizanur Rahman, head of Bashundhara Group’s Public Relations Department, lodged a general diary (GD) with Vatara Police Station on Friday in this regard.

In the GD, an appeal was made to include the names of Whip Shamsul Haque Chowdhury and his son Nazmul Karim Chowdhury Sharun as the masterminds of the assassination plot.

It was alleged that the whip’s son planned to assassinate the Bashundhara Group MD due to previous hostilities.

Showing him arrested under section 54, police have sought for a five-day remand for the arrestee to the court while the hearing on the petition will be held tomorrow (Sunday), an officer of Vatara Police Station said.

Officer-in-charge of the police station Sajedur Rahman said the youth has been sent to jail.

During preliminary interrogation, Saad confessed that he was preparing to attack Sayem Sobhan Anvir during Jumma prayers on Friday. Earlier, he attempted to poison Sayem Sobhan Anvir to death.

The arrestee disclosed that as part of the blueprint orchestrated by Whip Shamsul Haque Chowdhury, MP from Chattogram-12 constituency (Patiya), and his son Sharun, he was supposed to shoot Anvir to death during Friday’s Jumma prayers.

Earlier, the organised gang had planned to kill Anvir through feeding him with milk laced with poison and stabbing. However, they failed to execute the plans.

Saad also said Sharun had asked him to shoot Sayem Sobhan Anvir directly during Jumma prayers and flee the mosque by a car which would be kept outside. He said, “Sharun informed me of the arrangements so that I could get out of the mosque and flee.”

During investigation, it was found that the conspiracy to kill the Bashundhara Group MD had been going on for almost three months. Saad entered at the MD House in disguise for at least four times.

Saad gave details of how they planned to kill Anvir at the order of Whip Shamsul Haque Chowdhury and his son Sharun.

After failing to execute the plots several times in the past, he finally disguised himself as a madrasah student. He got enrolled at Sautul Quran Madrasah and Orphanage in Bashundhara Residential Area. Students from that madrasah go to the MD House every day to recite the holy Quran. The target was to execute the plan to assassinate the Bashundhara Group MD during Jumma prayers.

Madrasah Principal Mufti Misbah Uddin Sagir said Saad’s movement had been suspicious for the last few days and the names of the Whip and Sharun could be heard during his conversations over phone.

After that, the principal was keeping a close watch on Saad’s movement. After it became clear that Saad had come here with a mission to assassinate the Bashundhara Group MD as planned by the whip and Sharun, he informed the security officials and staff of Bashundhara Residential Area of the matter.

According to the GD, Shamsul and Sharun sent their trusted man Saad, a youth from Patiya, to the MD House in the guise of a domestic help.

He (Saad) also entered the house for four times on the pretext of various reasons.

Saad was assigned to fetch milk from a dairy farm to the house.

As per the plan, Sharun advised Saad to mix poison with milk. But several attempts went in vain.

They had also preparation to stab the Bashundhara Group MD to death during Friday’s Jumma prayers at the mosque.

However, Saad could not implement the plan due to unfavourable situation.

During interrogation, Saad said he met Hannan and Mannan, close associates of Whip Shamsul, while he was a tenth grader at Patiya Central High School in Chattogram.

One day, Hannan and Mannan took Saad with them to meet Shamsul and Sharun.

Under the directives and direct supervision of Shamsul and Sharun, Saad took a job at the Bashundhara Group MD’s House by concealing his real identity. Apart from this, Saad has several photographs with Whip Shamsul.

It was learned that he worked as a domestic help in disguise at the MD House. The news that he had the scope of entering the MD House reached Whip Shamsul’s cadres Hannan and Mannan within a moment.

Then they arranged a meeting of Saad with Sharun. At that meeting, Sharun and his father informed Saad of the plan to assassinate the Bashundhara Group MD. They said if Saad could do the job, he would not have to do anything else in his entire life. Sharun handed over Tk 20,000 in cash to Saad and assured him of paying more if the plan is implemented.

The final plan was taken when Saad went home during the last Durga Puja holiday. Saad went to Chattogram on October 10 on leave. After 12 days of leave, he returned to work on October 23. During the holiday, Saad met Sharun. At that time, a pistol was given to Saad and a conspiracy was hatched to kill the Bashundhara Group MD. According to the plan, Saad was preparing to shoot Bashundhara Group MD Anvir during Jumma prayers on Friday.

Sources said Sharun had promised a big reward for Saad if he could successfully implement the plot to assassinate the Bashundhara Group MD. Sharun also threatened to kill him if he fails to execute the plan. He was also assured that police would be managed. After returning from Chattogram, Saad kept the pistol with him during the last two Friday prayers. But he could not succeed due to unfavourable situation.