From targeted killings to extortion, has David Iman finally been stopped?

After August 5, 2024, several names, including Chhoto Sajjad, Raihan, and Mobarak Hossain Iman, better known as David Iman, emerged prominently in Chattogram’s criminal underworld. Their alleged ‘godfather’ was identified as Sajjad Ali, better known as Boro Sajjad, a top listed criminal who remains a fugitive abroad. A series of murders, extortion, public shootings, and other criminal incidents followed.

After the arrest of the increasingly reckless Sajjad Hossain, better known as Chhoto Sajjad, from Bashundhara in Dhaka on March 15, 2025, he remained in jail. Following his arrest, Raihan and David Iman allegedly continued operating across Chattogram with the full strength of their group. There has been discussion that they received protection from influential groups. Raihan and Iman had become a symbol of fear, and even law enforcement agencies appeared helpless in dealing with them. As a result, many believed it was nearly impossible to stop them.

After nearly two years of operating freely, David Iman was finally arrested by police in Jashore. Raihan now remains at large.

Chattogram Superintendent of Police Masud Alam told Agamir Somoy, “Our team is also working to arrest Raihan. We conducted an operation after receiving information that he was staying in Noakhali. He managed to escape by a narrow margin. Every member of their group will be arrested.”

David Iman was arrested along with three associates in a joint operation by Chattogram and Jashore district police early Wednesday from the Jhumjhumpur area under Kotwali Police Station in Jashore. The three associates are Alis Tamal, Shafayat, and Shamim.

David Iman arrested with his associates

David Iman is the son of Mohammad Musa of Kanchannagar village in Kanchannagar Union of Fatikchhari upazila in Chattogram. His family also has a residence in the Aturar Depot area under Bayezid Bostami Police Station in the city. Police have found information linking him to 13 cases so far. Of those, 10 cases, including three murder cases, are in the city. The remaining three cases are in Hathazari, Raozan, and Fatikchhari.

Over the past two years, the group allegedly carried out at least a dozen targeted killings. Rivalries in the underworld, struggles for dominance, extortion, control over sand quarries, and revenge over previous disputes kept the whole of Chattogram unstable.