Two accused give confessional statements to magistrate

Two accused today confessed to a Dhaka magistrate that they were involved in the killing of Sagira Morshed Salam in the capital 30 years ago.

Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Md Tofazzal Hossain recorded the statements of Dr Hasan and his wife Shahin Chowdhury after inspector Rafiqul Islam of Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI) produced them before the court tonight.

However, the details of statements could not be known immediately. The duo was sent to jail after recording their statement.

PBI members arrested the duo from the capital in connection with the murder of Sagira yesterday.

On July 25, 1989, the victim Sagira, 34, was going to Viqarunnisa Noon School on the capital’s Bailey Road by a rickshaw to pick up her daughter Saharat.

Sagira, however, could not reach pick up her daughter as muggers shot her to death in front of the school.

Abdus Salam Chowdhury, husband of the victim, filed a murder case against some unknown people with Ramna Police Station the same day. But the trial proceedings of the case had been stayed for the last 28 years following a High Court order.

On June 26 this year, the HC bench of Justice M Enayetur Rahim and Justice Md Mostafizur Rahman lifted the stay order and cleared the way for the lower court to resume the proceedings.

The HC bench also ordered PBI to complete further probe into the case in two months and directed the trial court to finish its proceedings in three months.

During delivery of the verdict, the HC bench expressed confusion regarding punishment of the muggers who allegedly killed Sagira Morshed as 28 years have passed after the HC’s stay order.

The HC bench came up with the judgement after hearing a petition filed by one Maruf Reza, whose name was recorded in the statements of the prosecution witnesses -- challenging the trial court’s directive in 1991 for conducting further investigation into the case.

Police submitted the charge sheet to the lower court concerned against one Minto alias Mantoo alias Moron. On January 17, 1991, a Dhaka court framed charges against him. The court also recorded statements of seven witnesses in the case.

Name of Maruf Reza, a relative of former home minister Mahmudul Hasan, came to light when the trial court was recording statements of the witnesses.

Then the lower court directed police to further investigate into the case on May 23, 1991.

Later, Maruf Reza filed a revision petition with the HC, challenging the lower court order for further investigation.

On July 2, 1991, the HC stayed the trial proceedings of the case and further probe.

Reza, who had been arrested, was later exempted from the case.

Mantoo had also been arrested in connection with the case. Reza and Mantoo were released from jail on bail.