Kazi Zahidul Hasan :
The killers used foreign handgun to kill Awami League (AL) lawmaker Manzurul Islam Liton, police said.
They said such type of gun was also used to kill Italian citizen Tavella Cesare, who was shot three times while jogging at the Gulshan Diplomatic Zone in September, 2015.
“The gun used to kill MP Liton is believed to be a 7.65 bore short type light firearms made by Yugoslavia,” Deputy Inspector General of Police (Rangpur Range) Khandoker Golam Faruq told The New Nation on Monday night.
“We came to the conclusion following forensic examination carried on the bullets pierced Manzurul’s body,” he added.
He said local terrorist groups are frequently using this type of guns to carry out their killing mission because they are handy and easy to portable.
“We have information that local extremist groups and terrorists have a collection of such type small guns which are coming to Bangladesh through land, sea and airports illegally,” he added.
The incidents of seizing consignments of small and portable deadly arms-ammunition have increased in the last three years.
“It appears to be a planned murder. We have suspicion local militant group might be involved in the killing,” said Khandoker Golam Faruq.
He said police are looking into whether it was a part of feuds involving the lawmaker.
When asked, the regional police chief said, they are yet to get concrete information that he was killed by militants or other elements.
The Gaibandha lawmaker was shot dead by armed assailants at his house in Sundarganj on Saturday evening.
“Police launched an investigation into the murder focusing all possible sides, including militancy and feuds,” said Khandoker Golam Faruq.
He said police so far detained 18 people for interrogation over the murder case.
Five motorcycle- riding assailants took part in the killing mission. Two of them entered the living room of MP Liton while the three others stayed outside.
The duo talked with the lawmaker before opening fire to him.
Gunshots were heard sometime after the youths entered the house. The five then fled by riding the motorcycles, according to witnesses.
But police said they had no leads in tracing the unidentified assailants.
The forensic team of the Rangpur Medical College Hospital (RMCH) which conducted autopsy of Liton said yesterday that the MP died due to ‘excessive bleeding’ after the shooting. Five bullets injury marks were found in his body.
