KHULNA – Police recovered the bodies of two young men with gunshot wounds from Singher Char in Rupsha upazila of Khulna on Monday, raising fresh concerns over a recent spate of killings in the district.
The bodies were recovered around 12:30pm from the riverbank near the Atharobeki River in Aichgati Union, police said.
The deceased were identified as Mehedi Hasan Sohag, 35, son of Mohammad Abdullah of Rajapur village, and Rezaul Karim, also known as Alamin, 30, of Singher Char, both in Rupsha upazila.
According to Rupsha Police Station Officer-in-Charge Masum Khan, Sohag had a gunshot wound to his forehead, while Alamin had one to his chin.
Police and local residents said locals spotted the bloodied bodies on the riverbank and informed the police. Officers later visited the scene, prepared inquest reports and sent the bodies to the morgue.
Masum Khan said the two men had been shot dead, adding that investigators suspected they were killed elsewhere earlier on Monday before their bodies were dumped into the Rupsha River. The incoming tide may have carried the bodies to Singher Char, where they became stranded, he said.
Preliminary investigations suggest that both victims were members of B-Company, a criminal group operating in Khulna, the officer added.
The latest killings come amid a series of violent incidents in Khulna, with police suspecting rivalries between criminal gangs, disputes over drug trafficking and territorial control behind several murders.
On August 15, Joy Dhali, 27, was hacked to death and his throat slit in Rupsha’s Durjanimahal village. Police suspected the killing was linked to an internal feud within B-Company, reportedly led by criminal figure Rony Chowdhury, also known as Grenade Babu.
Nearly two months later, on October 5, Joy’s father, Akhtar Dhali, 55, was shot dead in the same upazila. Police said helmeted assailants arrived on motorcycles and opened fire on him.
In another spate of violence, two people were killed in separate incidents in Khulna city within 15 hours on October 22. Tawhidul Islam was shot dead in the morning, while Khushi Akter was killed in the evening. Investigators suspected drug-related disputes and possible links to rival criminal groups.
According to a Prothom Alo report published on October 27, 71 people were killed in Khulna city and district between January and October 23 this year, including 23 who were shot dead. Police recorded 69 murder cases during the period.
Police have identified several criminal groups operating in the district, with rivalries over drug trafficking, extortion and territorial dominance suspected in a number of violent incidents.
Meanwhile, Sub-Inspector Nur Alam said police were investigating who was behind Monday’s double killing and what motivated the attack.
The bodies have been sent to the morgue at Khulna Medical College Hospital for autopsies. A murder case is being processed in connection with the incident.
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