Eight years have passed since the sensational murders, but the case still remains pending with the Dhaka Second Additional District and Sessions Judge’s Court
The families of the six students those were brutality killed on the night of Shab-e-Barat in 2011, at Aminbazar on the outskirts of Dhaka, are still crying for justice.
Eight years have passed since the sensational murders, but the case still remains pending with the Dhaka Second Additional District and Sessions Judge’s Court. The prosecution claims they have failed to complete the case due to the non-appearance one of the investigation officers.
The trial in the case began with the recording of the deposition of plaintiff and Savar police station Sub-inspector Anwar Hossain as the first prosecution witness on October 30, 2013. Over five years later, the court has recorded testimonies of 52 out of a total 92 witnesses in the case.
The deposition of first investigation officer (IO) Motiur Rahman was recorded on November 11 last year. Since then, the prosecution has sent summons to another IO, CID’s former ASP Sirajul Haque, but he has not appeared before the court to testify.
Public prosecutor Shakila Jesmin Mitu told the Dhaka Tribune: “We have recorded testimonies of 52 witnesses including first IO Motiur Rahman. The recording of depositions will conclude once the depositions of the remaining two IOs- Sirajul Haque and RAB ASP Sharif Uddin Ahmed – are recorded.”
She added that IO Sirajul Haque has not been coming to the court to testify despite the repeated issuing of summons by the court over the last six months.
“We are hopeful that the IO will come before the court on the next date, April 28, and the verdict in the case should be delivered soon after the depositions of the two IOs are recorded,” Mitu further said.
Family members of victims claimed 49 of the accused, including prime suspect Abdul Malek, have taken advantage of the delays in trial proceedings to secure bail. Nine other accused are on the run.
They added that the accused are threatening family members of victims in various ways.
On July 18, 2011, the night of Shab-e-Barat, seven friends who were students of different schools and colleges in Dhaka took a trip to Bardeshi village near Aminbazar bridge under Savar police station.
Accusing the students of being robbers, a mob of villagers beat the students to death.
The deceased students are Tipu Sultan of Tejgaon College, Towhidur Rahman Palash, Kamruzzaman Kanto and Ibrahim Khalil of Mirpur Bangla College, Shams Rahim Shamam of Maple Leaf International School, and Sitaf Jabi Munif of Bangladesh University of Business and Technology.
Their friend Al Amin, who was also with them, is the lone survivor. Police had filed a case with Savar police station accusing 500-600 unidentified villagers over the incident.
Victim Kanto’s father Abdul Kader Suruj told the Dhaka Tribune: “As far as I know, the case is now pending with the court due to the non-appearance of an investigation officer. I want quick disposal of the case.”
Seeking justice for the killing of his son, Suruj also claimed that the accused in the case had been threatening him and his family members after being released from jail on bail.
Sheikh Abdur Rashid, father of victim Tipu Sultan, said: “We have been waiting for justice for eight years, but the trial is yet to be completed.”
Expressing disappointment with the slow progress of the trial, Rashid added that victim Ibrahim Khalil’s mother Beauty Begum died several months ago, while both of Sitaf’s parents had also died without seeing justice.
On January 13, 2013, RAB submitted a charge sheet in the case, and the court framed charges against the accused on October 30, 2013.
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