Murder investigation of writer, liberal thinker and publisher, Shahjahan Bachchcu, is ongoing with outlawed extremist organization, Ansarullah Bangla Team - ABT in the context.
Though seven days have elapsed, the police have not made any breakthrough in the investigation.
Police believe that the killing of the free thinker may have links with his posts about religion on social media.
Munshiganj police super and investigating officer, ASP Jayedul Islam says: “we are looking into the threats he received for his writing.”
The matter of religious extremists is given special importance, he said.
The police are also looking into his family feuds for a motive.
Writer, publisher and former CPB leader, Shahjahan Bachchu was killed on June 11, in Kakaldi village of Munshiganj in a small bazaar near his home.
Unidentified gunmen shot him from close range, exploded bombs and, amidst the panic, fled the scene.
Quoting witnesses, the police say that the four assailants, in two motorbikes, were aged between 30-35.
One reportedly carried a bag.
Along with the local police, the killing is being probed by Dhaka based Counter Terrorism and Trans national Crime Unit, CTTC, and RAB.
RAB are analyzing CCTV footage obtained from the roads leading to the bazaar.
“The killing bears all the hallmarks of Ansarullah Bangla Team,” says CTTC officials.
The proscribed ABT has been targeting and killing liberal thinkers, writers and publishers since 2013.
In the previous attacks, they used sharp weapons though in several cases, they used firearms to create panic after a killing.
“On 25 April, 2016, they (ABT) hacked to death, same sex rights advocate and staff of US embassy, Xulhas Mannan and his associate, Mahbub Tonoy,” CTTC officials said.
After that incident, there was no known involvement in target killing.
CTTC sources also say that several ABT members who take part in planned killings have been arrested.
“But the leading figure of the extremist body, ousted army Major, Syed Ziaul Huq, and his main cohort, Selim alias Hadi, are still fugitives.”
Police believe that, from hiding, these two are masterminding new phase of killings.
They also believe that ABT gathered information on several people in the last two years.
This belief is reinforced when arrested people were found to possess papers carrying detailed information about individuals on whom they had carried out a reconnaissance.
“We invited some liberal writers and gave them security related advice,” says CTTC officials.
But the lists that the police had recovered from arrested ABT members of targeted persons did not have the name of Shahjahan Bachchcu.
Also, Bachchu did not ask for any security from the law.
After the Holey Artisan bakery attack, the government cracked down on extremists which drove many to a corner.
However, many JMB leaders who had been in hiding, are trying to regroup secretly.
So called Ameer of old JMB, Salahuddin Salehin and Mizanur Rahman fled the Trishal prison in Mymensingh and took refuge in India.
It’s believed they are organizing new operations from across the border.
Law enforcers believe that, in recent times, the old JMB had carried out robbery and hijackings in several towns of Rajshahi and Bogra to accumulate funds.
“Extremists may re-emerge during the upcoming elections,” feared CTTC chief, Monirul Islam, last Friday.
With the Munshiganj killing, they might be sending a signal of their resurgence, he added.
“We are trying our best to contain such radical elements,” assured the law enforcer.