Unidentified assailants opened fire on the private car of popular singer and former Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) director Asif Akbar in the capital’s Moghbazar early Saturday, raising fresh concerns over public safety and the law and order situation.
The shooting took place at around 4:50am in front of Bishal Market, where Asif maintains an office.
Although the singer was inside the building at the time, the attack left the car’s rear right window badly damaged.
Sub-Inspector Al Amin of Hatirjheel Police Station said a young man arrived at the scene in a CNG-run auto-rickshaw, fired shots at the parked car and fled shortly afterwards.
No one was inside the vehicle when the shooting occurred, and no injuries were reported.
Hearing the gunfire, Asif came downstairs from his office on the third floor. Police arrived at the scene after being alerted to the incident.
According to police, Asif was unable to identify anyone he suspected of carrying out the attack or make any specific allegation.
He personally contacted the national emergency service at 999 to report the incident. However, no written complaint had been filed by Saturday, police said.
Md Asaduzzaman, officer-in-charge of Hatirjheel Police Station, confirmed that Asif was unharmed as he had not been inside the car when it was targeted.
He said police were treating the incident seriously and had launched an investigation to establish the motive and identify those responsible.
Police have yet to determine who carried out the shooting or why the singer’s vehicle was targeted. Investigators have also found no confirmed link between the attack and any personal or professional dispute involving Asif.
The incident has sparked concern among members of the entertainment industry and the singer’s fans, amid wider anxieties over public security.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami condemned the shooting, describing such acts as a threat to public safety, law and order, and the normal lives of citizens.
The party called on law enforcement agencies to take more effective action against crime, stressing that the state had a responsibility to protect the lives and property of every citizen.
Ehsanul Mahbub Zubair demanded the swift identification and prosecution of those involved.
“In the interests of justice, we strongly demand that the real reason behind this incident be uncovered through a fair investigation and that the guilty receive exemplary punishment,” he said.
Asif’s wife, Begum Salma Asif, also took to social media after the incident, expressing gratitude that her husband was safe.
“The incident at 5am… God is the guardian, Amen,” she wrote.
Actor Omar Sani voiced concern over the shooting in a Facebook post featuring photographs of the singer and his damaged car.
“The shooting at singer Asif Akbar’s car is an ominous sign. This should not happen. Asif, I wish you a long life. May God keep you well,” he wrote.
Asif Akbar is a well-known singer in Bangladesh and has also been involved in cricket administration, having served as a director of the BCB.
Police have yet to disclose further details about the investigation or establish the motive behind the attack.