The Rapid Action Battalion has described the killing of Special Branch Sub-Inspector Altaf Hossain in Savar’s Aminbazar as an “isolated incident”, saying he had not been specifically targeted.

The elite police unit made the revelation on Monday after arresting eight suspects in connection with the attack.

Altaf and his son Ariful Islam were assaulted on Saturday night after intervening in a dispute near a T-shirt factory in the Borodeshi Medina City area of Aminbazar.

Altaf later died in hospital, while his son remains under treatment.

His wife, Shiuli Begum, has filed a murder case with Savar Model Police Station against 15 named suspects.

Police earlier arrested driver Zahirul Islam, whom they described as the “prime suspect”.

RAB later arrested eight more suspects -- four in Munshiganj and four in Aminbazar.

The four arrested by RAB-10 in Munshiganj were identified as Alauddin, Apon, Jihad and Imran.

RAB-4 arrested Nur Mohammad Rudra, Rakib Mia, Sabbir Ahmed and Wasim in Aminbazar.

Speaking at a press conference at the RAB Media Centre in Dhaka’s Karwan Bazar on Monday, RAB-10 Commander Mohammad Asaduzzaman said preliminary questioning indicated that those arrested had been involved in the incident.

“RAB has so far arrested eight of the 15 people named in the case,” he said.

According to RAB, the incident began when Altaf intervened after a garage owner was assaulted during a dispute over the parking of an autorickshaw.

Altaf and his son then became involved in an argument with the group.

As the confrontation escalated, Altaf identified himself as a police officer and later took shelter inside his son’s garment factory, RAB said.

The group called in more people before entering the factory and attacking Altaf and Ariful, as well as vandalising equipment and furniture.

Asaduzzaman said some of the suspects had previous criminal records and links to youth gangs and drugs.

Asked whether Altaf had been targeted because he worked for the Special Branch, he said that was not the case.

“The police officer was not a target,” Asaduzzaman said, noting that Altaf had been in civilian clothes.

“He stepped in when he saw an elderly man being assaulted. He acted as a police officer and as a citizen. This was an isolated incident.”

The RAB commander said intoxication had also played a role in the violence and that several suspects were linked to youth gangs.

He added that investigators had found previous drug-related cases against some of those involved.

Asaduzzaman also referred to provisions allowing citizens to intervene when an offence is taking place and hand a suspect over to law enforcers.

He criticised a tendency among bystanders to record violent incidents rather than intervene, describing it as a "manifestation of the moral failings” of citizens.