Unidentified assailants opened fire on the stationary private vehicle belonging to prominent Bangladeshi pop singer Asif Akbar in the early hours of Saturday morning. The gun attack took place at approximately 4:45 am right outside the Vishal Centre market in Dhaka’s Mogbazar area. Although the shooting triggered intense fear among the artist’s family and local residents, no injuries or loss of life were reported.
The singer was inside his private office on the third floor of the commercial complex when the weapon was discharged. While Akbar escaped physically unharmed, the sudden and targetted nature of the assault left his household deeply alarmed after hearing the gunshot and reviewing security camera footage.
Eyewitness Account and Family Reaction
Speaking to reporters later that morning, the artist’s wife, Salma Asif Mitu, expressed profound shock over the morning’s developments, stating that the family remains entirely oblivious as to who could be behind the attack or what motivated it.
According to Mitu, her husband heard the gunshot from upstairs and observed suspicious movement on the CCTV monitor. A security guard posted on the ground floor immediately raised the alarm, prompting Akbar to head downstairs. By the time he arrived at the parking space, an unknown individual was spotted fleeing the scene on foot.
“We have no one in mind to suspect,” Mitu explained. “Never in our lives have we held suspicion toward anyone, nor has Asif ever been involved in any feud that would warrant an attack like this. He has always maintained good relations with everyone around him and speaks his mind truthfully. This whole affair is utterly unbelievable. We simply cannot comprehend why this happened or what comes next.” She added that the singer was physically safe and resting following the ordeal.
Drive-By Assault via Auto-Rickshaw
Preliminary details released by law enforcement shed light on how the perpetrator executed the strike. According to Officer-in-Charge (OC) Md Asaduzzaman of Hatirjheel Police Station, the vehicle was parked in the ground-floor bay of the Vishal Centre building, where Akbar maintains his personal studio.
An internal police report detailed that an unidentified assailant arrived in front of the commercial hub aboard a CNG-driven auto-rickshaw at around 4:45 am. The passenger fired a single shot directly into Akbar’s vehicle before speeding away in the same auto-rickshaw.
Upon receiving an emergency call via the national helpline 999, a team from Hatirjheel Police Station rushed to the scene to secure the area and initiate forensic protocol. Investigators opened the vehicle’s shattered rear window and recovered a spent bullet casing from the interior of the car.
Ongoing Investigation and Lingering Questions
The motive behind targetting the celebrated musician’s vehicle remains wrapped in ambiguity. Law enforcement authorities have yet to confirm the identity of the shooter or suggest potential leads.
Police officers are currently reviewing CCTV footage collected from the building and surrounding commercial premises in Mogbazar, cross-referencing eyewitness statements, and examining the recovered ballistic evidence. Tracking the escape route of the CNG auto-rickshaw remains a central focus for the investigative team.
As one of Bangladesh’s most widely recognized pop icons, news of the shooting targetting Asif Akbar’s property quickly sparked widespread discussion across the capital. While the absence of casualties offers significant relief, answers remain vital as detectives work to unmask the perpetrator and determine the true intent behind the pre-dawn attack.
