Unidentified gunmen shot dead former Awami League lawmaker Jalaluddin Talukder at his Durgapur residence here early yesterday.
Jalaluddin, 65, was the president of AL's Durgapur upazila unit and elected MP for three times (1979, 1986 and 1996) from Netrakona-1 constituency.
“A rival group has killed my father for their political interests,” Kutubuddin Talukder Royel, only son of the deceased, told The Daily Star.
After being shot around 4:00am, the AL leader was rushed to Durgapur Upazila Health Complex by a group of party men.
Later he was shifted to Mymensingh Medical College Hospital (MMCH), where doctors declared him dead.
Alamgir Hussain, officer-in-charge of Durgapur Police Station, said Jalaluddin died of a bullet injury in his head.
His body has been kept at the MMCH for an autopsy.
Police seized a personal revolver of the lawmaker and sent it for a ballistic test, said Delwar Hossain, additional superintendent of police (Netrakona).
The law enforcers also picked up Ayesha Khanam, second wife of the deceased, for questioning.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday condoled the death of Jalaluddin, said Mahbubul Haque Shakil, the PM's special assistant (media).
In her condolence message, the premier, who is now on a visit to the USA, said in his death the nation has lost a veteran freedom fighter.
His demise is a great loss for the secular democratic politics in our country, she mentioned.
Acting chief of AL Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury and its General Secretary Syed Ashraful Islam also expressed grief over the death of the former lawmaker.