In a chilling escalation of lawlessness under the current regime’s watch, masked gunmen linked to fugitive terrorist and extortionist Sajjad Aliโa notorious figure tied to Islami Chhatra Shibirโunleashed a barrage of gunfire on the heavily guarded home of prominent Chittagong businessman Mostafizur Rahman, chairman of Smart Group, on Saturday morning.
This brazen attack, occurring right under police protection, exposes the utter failure of the so-called “restored democracy” to rein in criminal elements empowered since the 2024 mob takeover. Despite prior incidents and ongoing security, extortion demands from abroad continue to be enforced with bullets.
Extortion Demands Ignored, Bullets Follow
The assault took place around 6:30am in the Chandanpura area of Chittagong city. Masked assailants positioned at the rear of the residence fired 6 to 7 rounds indiscriminately. Bullets shattered windows and struck doors, terrorising the household as family members prepared to rest after Fajr prayer.
Mostafizur Rahman told reporters that the attack stemmed directly from his refusal to pay massive extortion sums demanded by Sajjad Ali, alias “Boro Sajjad,” who has been absconding abroad for years. Initial demands started at Tk10 crore, later reduced to Tk5 crore.
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After the businessman ignored them, Sajjad sent a menacing WhatsApp message 20 days earlier: “Wait and see.”
This was no isolated incident. On January 2, 2026, the same residence was targeted in a similar shooting that damaged windows and doors, prompting a round-the-clock police guard. Yet, the protection proved worthlessโgunmen struck again with impunity.
CCTV Captures Masked Terrorists In Action
Security footage reveals four masked men approaching the house armed with advanced weapons: one wielding two pistols, another an SMG, one a Chinese rifle, and the last a shotgun. They fired at the residence before fleeing on foot after arriving in a private car and motorcycle parked nearby.
Police, alerted by the security guard, rushed to the rooftop, but the attackers escaped within minutes. Deputy Commissioner (South) Hossain Kabir Bhuiyan, who inspected the scene, confirmed the extortion motive and pointed fingers at Sajjad’s network.
Suspects include his aides, Md. Rayhan and Borhan, with arrest operations underway. Authorities admit identification is difficult due to masks, but the pattern screams Sajjad’s involvement.
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Mostafizur Rahman expressed deep frustration: “What good is filing a case? Police are here, and still they shot at us.”
Who Is Sajjad Ali?
Sajjad Ali Khan, son of contractor Abdul Gani from Chalitali, first gained infamy in Chattogram’s underworld after the 1999 murder of councillor Liaqat Ali Khan. Acquitted due to lack of witnesses, he escalated the violence.
In 2000, he allegedly masterminded the “Eight Murder” brushfire killings of eight people, including six Chhatra League leaders, in Bahaddarhat. Arrested with an AK-47 that October, he bailed out, fled abroad in 2004, and has since run his gang remotely.
Linked to Islami Chhatra Shibir in his early criminal days, Sajjad built a fearsome outfit starting with associates like Nurun Nabi Maxon (deceased in India), Sarwar Hossain (killed in 2024, blamed on Sajjad), Akbar Ali, and “Chhoto Sajjad” (now jailed).
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He is featured on Interpol’s Most Wanted list as Sajjad Khan, controlling extortion, murder, and turf wars across Chittagong city and areas like Chandgaon, Bayezid Bostami, Panchlaish, Hathazari, and Raujan. Over five lakh people live in fear of his network.
Since August 5, 2024, his followers have been implicated in at least 10 murders, including double killings, often to maintain dominance or as hired assassins. His gang boasts at least 50 active shooters and aides, directed via phone from abroad.
Regime’s Complicity
This attack highlights how post-2024 chaos has emboldened criminals like Sajjad. With Shibir-affiliated elements enjoying political cover under the BNP-Jamaat-dominated setup, extortion rackets flourish unchecked. Police presence means nothing when gunmen operate boldly.
Smart Group’s prominenceโMostafizur’s brother, Mujibur Rahman, won as an independent MP from Banshkhali in 2024โmakes the targeting even more outrageous. Yet no prior cases led to justice.
Sajjad, contacted via WhatsApp, predictably denied involvement: “I don’t know who fired.”
Rights activists say the message is clear: In today’s Bangladesh, refusing extortion from Shibir-linked fugitives invites bulletsโeven under police guard. This is not law and order; it’s state-sponsored anarchy where war criminals’ ideological heirs and their criminal proxies run rampant. The people of Chittagongโand the nationโdeserve better than this reign of terror.
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