Shumon Zahid received mysterious calls before death

An unnatural death (UD) case has been filed with Dhaka Railway Police in connection with the recovery of the decapitated body of Shumon Zahid.

Police yesterday said although they filed the UD case, and information and statement of witnesses suggest that it was a suicide, they continued investigation to determine whether it was a murder as claimed by Shumon's family. 

Shumon's body was found near railway tracks in Bagicha area of Khilgaon, around one kilometre from his Uttar Shahjahanpur house on June 14. He was a witness in a war crimes case and was son of martyred journalist Selina Parvin. 

The statement of witnesses and the information gathered so far suggest that it was a suicide, said Yasin Faruk Majumder, officer-in-charge of Dhaka Railway Police Station.

“We have visited his wife and requested her to assist us with information,” said the OC, adding that they have not yet provided any information supporting that Shumon was murdered.

ATM Enamul Haque Bulbul, a brother-in-law of Shumon, yesterday reiterated that Shumon was murdered in a planned way for giving testimony in a case against war criminals Chowdhury Mueen Uddin and Ashrafuzzaman Khan.

Asked whether there was any specific reason to believe that Shumon was murdered, Enamul said he does not have any specific information. “But since he was a witness in a war crimes case and he lodged a general diary seeking security, I believe it was a murder,” he said. 

Shumon's mother-in-law, quoting her daughter, said he (Shumon) was scared of late after receiving some phone calls. “He used to go in a room and talk to the caller in a low voice, but he never shared anything with the family, possibly because his wife and sons might get frightened.”

Family members said Shumon was a senior executive at Shantinagar branch of Farmers Bank Ltd. He stopped going to office a few months ago because of some professional problems, they added.

Shumon was buried at Azimpur graveyard on Friday.