Three relatives, hitman charged
It was not a mugging incident gone wrong, rather a planned murder. Relatives hired a hitman to kill Sagira Morshed Salam over domestic disputes.
Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI) cracked the 30-year-old sensational case in November last year and yesterday pressed charges against four people -- Sagira’s brother-in-law Dr Hasan Ali Chowdhury; his wife Sayedatul Mahmuda alias Shaheen; brother-in-law (wife’s brother) Anas Mahmud alias Rezwan and the hired killer Maruf Reza.
PBI Inspector Md Rafiqul Islam submitted the charge sheet to the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate in Dhaka in the afternoon. During investigation, the four accused gave confessional statements narrating the incident, he said.
On July 25, 1989, Sagira (34) was going to Viqarunnisa Noon School on Bailey Road by a rickshaw to pick up her daughter. She, however, could not do so as muggers shot her dead in front of the school.
Sagira’s husband Abdus Salam Chowdhury filed a case accusing some unnamed people with Ramna Police Station the same day. But trial of the case remained halted for 28 years, following a High Court order.
Talking to The Daily Star yesterday, he said, “The killers must be given exemplary punishment.” He also thanked the PBI for their efforts.
In the charge-sheet, police said Abdus Salam and Samsul Alam Chowdhury are brothers who lived with their families at a house in Rajarbagh.
Disputes grew among Sagira and her sister-in-law Shaheen over household matters, and in early 1989, Shaheen told her husband to teach Sagira a lesson.
Maruf, now a real estate businessman, was a notorious criminal in Siddheshwari at that time, and used to be Dr Hasan’s patient. He was 18 at that time.
The PBI official said Dr Hasan hired Maruf with Tk 25,000 to “teach Sagira a lesson”. He paid Maruf Tk 15,000 after the incident.
On July 25, 1989, Dr Hasan called his brother-in-law Anas (59), now an NGO official, and told him to stand in front of Mouchak Market to escort Maruf to identify Sagira.
Around 4:40pm, Anas and Maruf followed Sagira on a bike. Before her rickshaw could reach Viqarunnisa School, the duo halted it. Maruf tried to snatch her bag and a bracelet. At the time, as Sagira identified Anas, Maruf opened fire on her and fled the scene, the PBI official added.
The investigators found that the revolver used in the killing was owned by an alleged criminal Monu Mia alias “Horror Monu” who was killed in a “gunfight” with police in Rupganj in 2005.
PBI arrested the four in November last year.
Sagira was working as a researcher at Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies after achieving a post-graduate degree in economics from Dhaka University.
After being stayed for 28 years, the HC bench of Justice M Enayetur Rahim and Justice Md Mostafizur Rahman lifted the stay order on June 26 last year, and cleared way for the lower court to resume the proceedings.
PBI took three months to complete the investigation.
Earlier, the Detective Branch of police submitted a 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 witnesses. Then the lower court directed police to further investigate into the case on May 23, 1991.
Later, Maruf filed a revision petition with the HC, challenging the lower court order for further investigation. On July 2, 1991, the HC stayed the case’s trial proceedings and further probe.
Reza, who had been arrested, was later exempted from the case. Mantoo, who had also been arrested in connection with the case, was released from jail on bail.
The PBI also recommended to exempt 25 people from the case who were arrested in different times in this connection.
The duo halted it. Maruf tried to snatch her bag and a bracelet. At that time, as Sagira identified Anas, Maruf opened fire on her and fled the scene, the PBI official added.
The investigators found that the revolver used in the killing was owned by an alleged criminal Monu Mia alias “Horror Monu” who was killed in a “gunfight” with police in Rupganj in 2005.
PBI arrested the four in November last year.
Sagira was working as a researcher at Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies after achieving a post-graduate degree in economics from Dhaka University.
After being stayed for 28 years, the HC bench of Justice M Enayetur Rahim and Justice Md Mostafizur Rahman withdrew the stay order on June 26 last year, and cleared way for the lower court to resume the proceedings.
PBI took three months to complete the investigation.
Earlier, the Detective Branch of police submitted a 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 witnesses. Then the lower court directed police to further investigate the case on May 23, 1991.
Later, Maruf filed a revision petition with the HC, challenging the lower court order for further investigation. On July 2, 1991, the HC stayed the case’s trial proceedings and further probe.
Reza, who had been arrested, was later exempted from the case. Mantoo, who had also been arrested in connection with the case, was released from jail on bail.
The PBI also recommended to exempt 25 people from the case who were arrested in different times in this connection.
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