Two businessmen were publicly attacked and injured by miscreants in front of ECS Computer City (Multiplan Center) on Elephant Road in the capital. The incident took place on Friday night (January 10), but a video of the assault went viral on social media the following day, Saturday (January 11). The victims have been identified as Ehtesamul Haque (42) and Wahidul Hasan Dipu. Ehtesamul is in critical condition and is undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Dhanmondi, while Dipu received initial medical attention.
Wahidul is the President of the Elephant Road Computer Businessmen Welfare Association and Senior Joint Coordinator of the Multiplan Center Business Owners' Association. Ehtesamul also holds the position of Joint Coordinator in the same association.
In response to the attack, local traders staged a protest on Elephant Road at noon, demanding justice and swift action against those responsible. They called on law enforcement to promptly arrest the culprits and ensure exemplary punishment. The viral video shows 4 to 5 attackers striking Ehtesamul with machetes near Multiplan Market, while another 6 to 7 individuals, all masked, stood by. Ehtesamul fell to the ground after being repeatedly struck. Despite his efforts to stand, the attackers continued hitting him, eventually leaving him lying on the road. Throughout the incident, pedestrians and vehicles passed by without intervening. The attackers fled the scene after about one and a half to two minutes.
Assistant Commissioner of Police Tariq Latif from the New Market Zone informed the media that CCTV footage revealed the involvement of 10 to 12 individuals in the attack. Among them, one or two have been identified, and efforts are ongoing to identify the others. According to New Market police, Wahidul Hasan filed a case regarding the incident on Saturday night.
