A union leader of the National Institute of Diseases of the Chest and Hospital (NIDCH) in Dhaka’s Mohakhali has been shot in the head near the office of the employee association.

The shooting took place shortly after 8pm on Friday.

The victim, 40-year-old Jamal Hossain, was rushed to Dhaka Medical College Hospital in “critical condition”, according to police.

Jamal, a former general secretary of the hospital’s fourth-class employee union, was found with a gunshot wound to his right eye, hospital police camp in-charge Md Faruk said.

He added that the victim is currently receiving treatment at the One Stop Emergency Service Centre.

His brother Jasim Uddin said Jamal was standing near the employee union office when two masked men approached and shot him in the head before fleeing the scene.

Jasim believes the attack may be linked to tensions over upcoming union elections.

Jamal had recently announced plans to contest for the post of general secretary again, which may have triggered the assault, he said.

Bananai Police Station chief Russell Sarwar said officers are collecting evidence from the scene.

Investigation is under way.