Ex-wheat scientist’s killing: Mastermind among 2 held in city

Members of Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) on Monday arrested two people including the mastermind in connection with the murder of the former chief scientific officer of Bangladesh Wheat and Maize Research Institute (BWMRI), from Gabtoli Bus Stand in the city.

The arrestees were identified as Mohamamd Saiful Islam, 26 and Zakir Hossian, 37, mastermind in the killing incident.

Tipped off, a team of Rab-2 conducted a drive in Gabtoli area and held them on Sunday night.

On November 11, Anwar Shaheed, 72, was stabbed to death by an attacker in city’s Shyamoli area.

Ferdous Sultana, sister of the victim lodged a case at Adabar Police station.

According to Shaheed’s family, he headed for the bus counters at Shyamoli from his home at Kalyanpur upon receiving a phone call. He came under attack when he reached the alley connecting Ring Road with Mirpur Road. The 72-year-old died in hospital hours after the attack in the evening.

CCTV camera footage showed a man wandering the street for three to four minutes with a hand in his pocket. When the victim entered the alley from Ring Road, the assailant went forward and drove the knife into his belly in an instant before fleeing.

Police said they believe the murder was planned.

Shaheed was stationed at Joydebpur before retirement 12 years ago. He worked at Dinajpur’s BWMRI for 15 years.