Forced to help son's 'killers'
Alleged ruling party men, who shot a 10-year-old dead while trying to occupy a polling station in Keraniganj last year, forced the father to sign an agreement that says he would help the suspects get acquitted.
According to the document, which was notarised, Halim Kazi had also “agreed” to provide the kind of “evidence and information” that would help the accused be proved innocent in court.
Halim's only son Shuvo Kazi Srabon was killed when supporters of a ruling Awami League Union Parishad chairman candidate opened fire to take over a polling centre in Hazratpur union of Keraniganj on the outskirts of the capital on March 31 last year.
“I will make all-out effort and testify in the court so that the accused are discharged from the case,” read a condition of the agreement signed one and a half months after the incident.
The Daily Star has obtained a copy of the document which the plaintiff, the accused and six other people signed as witnesses.
Halim was all for justice when his fourth grader son was killed. He had demanded the highest punishment for the killers. He even went to court on April 3 last year and filed a case accusing 12 people after police had refused to name them in the case filed with Keraniganj Police Station.
The alleged killers and their associates, who are influential people, have forced the father to sign such an agreement even though the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC ) does not allow murder cases to have out-of-court settlements, people with knowledge of the incident and lawyers said.
Contacted, Halim, a CNG-run auto-rickshaw driver, refused to comment.
His relatives and neighbours believe that he is mum due to threats by the suspects.
A relative preferring anonymity told The Daily Star, “Halim accepted the conditions and signed the agreement as they [the accused and their accomplices] were threatening other members of his family.”
“He had no choice,” another relative said, adding, “In exchange, he was given Tk 7 lakh.” Witnesses have backed off due to the threats from the accused, the relative said.
The relative also said Halim was forced to take the money and that he would gladly give it back. “All he wants is for the threats to stop and justice to be delivered.”
CID Inspector Shamim Hasan Talukder, investigation officer of the case, told The Daily Star recently, “We came to know that Halim Kazi and his family members were forced to sign the agreement.
“There is no legal scope for such a deal. Rather, the deal hinted that the accused were involved in the murder. We will produce a copy of the deal before the court as evidence.”
The CID official said their investigation was being delayed as the plaintiff's family was unwilling to cooperate with the investigators.
“We are doing our investigation in our own way and will submit the charge sheet after completing investigation,” he added
The accused are: Rana Molla, Md Razon, Zakir, Selim, Bahadur, Sentu, Badsha, Manu, Raihan, Shamim, Humayun and Mokles.
Selim, Humayun and one Ripon were arrested but were later released on bail.
On January 9 this year, a Dhaka court sent Razon and Zakir to jail after they surrendered before it. Sources said the two had even taken Halim to court that day so that Halim could support their bail petitions.
Police sources said all the accused were criminals and that law enforcers were trying to arrest them. But locals and the victim's relatives said the accused were roaming around freely in the neighbourhood.
Nur Khan, acting executive director of rights body Ain o Salish Kendra told The Daily Star yesterday that like this case, many cases had been weakened by influential accused issuing threats to plaintiffs and witnesses or by providing them with money.
In many cases, police get involved in the process too, he claimed. Sometimes police do not find witnesses due to such “illegal negotiations” between the plaintiffs and the accused.
Nur termed the incident of Halim “a burning example” of the culture of impunity and fear. He said the government, as soon as it comes to know, should ensure security of the victim's family and witnesses and that trial proceedings continue without any hindrance.
THE HARROWING INCIDENT
On March 31, 2016, the union parishad election day, Shuvo accompanied by his uncle Salal Kazi, went to his school, Madhurchar Government Primary School, to see the election festivities.
“Around 9:20am, a group of 30 to 40 Awami League men led by local leader Rana Mollah went there and were locked in an altercation with voters,” Salal had told The Daily Star earlier.
The altercation turned into a clash and the AL men and voters threw brick chunks at each other. The ruling party men at one stage started firing shots indiscriminately.
Shuvo was hit, said police and Ansar members. He was declared dead when taken to a hospital.
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