A night guard has been stabbed to death in Dhaka's Mohammadpur, allegedly for stopping a known drug addict from stealing construction materials. 

The deceased, Rabiul Islam, 35, was on duty on Road 3 of Dhaka Udyan around 11:30pm on Thursday when he was attacked, said Inspector Md Faruk, in-charge of the Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) police outpost.

Hearing his screams, his colleagues, and locals rushed to his aid. They initially took him, with stab wounds in his chest, to Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College Hospital.

He was later shifted to DMCH, where he died of his injuries around 12:45am on Friday, said Inspector Faruk.

Rabiul had been working as a night guard in the area for the last three to four years, said Abdul Hannan, a supervisor of Dhaka Udyan.

Rabiul caught Sujon alias Dipjol, a known drug addict and mugger, stealing iron rods from a house in the wee hours of Thursday, said Hannan.

Although Rabiul let Sujon go after recovering the stolen items, the next night, the mugger along with his accomplices ambushed Rabiul and fatally stabbed him, the supervisor said.

Rabiul's sister, Nur Banu, said her brother hailed from Balagram in Nilphamari's Jaldhaka upazila. He lived with his wife and two children in Dhaka Udyan.

DMCH Inspector Faruk said Rabiul's body was kept at the morgue for an autopsy.

Mohammadpur police have launched an investigation into the incident.