Clashes in Geneva camp: Bullet hit teen dies at DMCH

A teenage boy, who was shot during clashes between armed gangs at the Geneva Camp in the capital Mohammadpur on Saturday, died today while undergoing treatment at the Dhaka Medical College Hospital.

Sajjen, 13, also known as Rahmat, breathed his last at DMCH’s intensive care unit around 8:30 am, said Inspector Mohammad Faruk, head of the hospital’s police station.

His body has been kept at the DMCH mortuary for autopsy.

Sajjen lived with his family in sector 5 of the Geneva camp.

According to locals and police, clashes broke out between several drug gangs around 5 p.m. on Saturday. These lasted about three hours, during which the three people were shot.

Shamsher Ali, Sajjen’s father, said his son went to get water from a nearby water pump. “He got into the line of fire and was hit by bullets on his way home.”

Sajjen suffered five gunshot wounds to his hand, chest and abdomen.

Initially, he was taken to Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College Hospital and later transferred to DMCH for advanced care.

The camp and adjacent areas have recently become a hotspot for criminal activities such as gunfights, robberies, drug trafficking and murder.

On August 6, a day after Sheikh Hasina fled the country, a man named Shahen Shah was shot dead. Another man named Sonu was killed in a major gun battle on September 3.

On October 17, a Shanemaj, 37, was shot dead during a gunfight between two feuding groups in the Geneva camp.

On September 29, a joint team of the Bangladesh Army, Rab and police arrested 35 people, including a top drug dealer, and recovered arms and ammunition from the camp.

Police and locals say gun battles take place almost every day in the camp as rival groups battle for control of the drug sales sites. Many criminals are using firearms looted from Mohammadpur police station during the mass uprising.