Police have yet to determine the motive behind the killing of constable Monirul Islam by his colleague Kawsar Ali in Baridhara diplomatic area on Saturday, according to Additional Commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Mahid Uddin.

Speaking at a press briefing at DMP headquarters on Sunday (June 9, 2024), Mahid said that Kawsar, who was arrested for the killing, has been initially interrogated. 

"Kawsar was punctual and performed his duties regularly over the past several months. There was no known enmity between Monirul and Kawsar," he said.

When questioned about the possibility of a heated argument preceding the shootout, the Additional Commissioner responded, "We have spoken to Kawsar, but no significant information has emerged yet."

Policeman gunned down by fellow cop in Baridhara; pedestrian injured

Describing the incident in the diplomatic area as unfortunate, he emphasized, "We are treating this case with high importance. Initially, it appeared that there might have been an altercation between the two constables. More details will be revealed after thorough interrogation. It seems the incident might have been a result of temporary tension."

"We suspect this could have been an immediate reaction. However, further investigation is required to confirm this," he added.

On Saturday, Monirul Islam was shot dead by fellow policeman Kawsar Ali while on duty in Baridhara. The incident occurred in front of the Palestinian Embassy, also injuring a pedestrian, according to Mazarul Islam, Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Gulshan Police Station.

The shooting caused widespread panic, leading to road closures in the surrounding area. Special police forces, including SWAT and the Detective Branch, took about half an hour to disarm and apprehend Kawsar.

Inspector General of Police Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun, along with senior police officials, promptly arrived at the scene to manage the situation.

Baridhara shooting: New details emerge on police constable killing colleague

A security guard, speaking anonymously, recounted that after shooting Monirul, Kawsar stood at the main gate of the Palestinian Embassy. When questioned about Monirul’s lifeless body, Kawsar reportedly claimed he was "pretending."

Kawsar then moved to the road opposite the embassy gate, where security personnel apprehended him. Witnesses reported hearing five to six rounds of gunfire during the incident.