Three murder accused get posts in JU JCD extended committee

Three fugitive murder accused have secured posts in the extended committee of the Jahangirnagar University (JU) unit of the Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD).

The extended committee was announced in a Notice signed by JCD's Central President Rakibul Islam Rakib and Secretary Nasir Uddin Nasir.

The JU Chhatra Dal committee now includes 124 joint conveners and 405 members. Additionally, two others have been assigned office responsibilities.

On the same day, in a separate announcement signed by the JU unit's convener and member secretary, new committees were formed for six female dormitories and eleven male dormitories.

The extended committee includes three fugitives charged in the murder case of Shamim Molla, a former leader of the banned student organisation Chhatra League. On September 18 last year, Shamim was reportedly beaten to death on the JU campus. The university administration filed a murder case on September 20, 2024, naming eight individuals and 20–25 unidentified persons.

Among the eight named accused, Hamidullah Salman, Raju Ahmed, and Mohammad Rajon Miah have secured posts in the new JCD extended committee.

Salman has secured the position of president of Bishwa Kabi Rabindranath Tagore Hall and member of the extended committee, Raju Ahmed has become a joint convener, and Mohammad Rajon Miah has been made a member.

The day after the killing, on September 19, 2024, the JCD central committee issued a statement claiming that the accused had no affiliation with the organisation.

Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI) Investigation Officer, Sub-Inspector (SI) Anisur Rahman Bappy, said that so far two accused have been arrested and one has surrendered to the court.

Those arrested are: JU student Mohammad Mahmudul Hasan Rayhan (September 22, 2024) and Saiful Islam Bhuiyan (September 29, 2024). Another accused, Atik, surrendered to the court.

"The remaining suspects are yet to be arrested", said Investigation officer Anisur.

Asked whether the political identity of the three fugitives was preventing their arrest, Dhaka District PBI Superintendent of Police Kudrat-e-Khuda said, "Their political influence has not affected the investigation. The probe is ongoing, and no leniency will be shown."

When asked how three fugitives facing such serious charges -- whom the organisation itself had earlier disowned -- secured posts in the extended committee, JCD Central General Secretary Nasir Uddin Nasir declined to comment and referred the question to the JU unit's convener and member secretary.

In response, JU JCD Convener Zahir Uddin Babor said, "The long-standing sacrifices, hard work, and merit of the three have been recognised."

Earlier, on January 8 this year, JCD's JU unit formed a 177-member convening committee.