20 Sarbahara Party men jailed for killing 2 cops in Madaripur
A Dhaka court today sentenced 20 members of Sarbahara Party, a banned extremist group in the country, to life in prison for killing an officer of Special Branch of police and a head assistant of Madaripur SB office in Rajoir of Madaripur in April 2005.
Judge Md Monir Kamal of the Speedy Trial Tribunal-3 of Dhaka announced the verdict around 12:00noon.
The court also acquitted six of the 26 accused in the verdict. Among the 20 convicts, the 13 are still absconding while the rest seven are in the jail now.
The absconding convicts are Jasim Sheikh, Machim Sheikh, Majnu Madbar, Foyez Sheikh, Uzzal Howlader, Zafor Madbar, Kubbas Madbar, Halim Akand, Dadan Fakir alias Dadan Teilas, Amir Hossain Sheikh, Miraz Shikder, Emo Molla alias Hemayet Molla alias Munshi Molla and Suman Bagha, while Mosharrof Sheikh, Ashraf Sheikh, Md Bazlu Akand, Azad Molla, Dabir Molla, Showkat Molla alias Sagu Member, and Dipu alias Tipu Biswas are in the jail.
The judge said that all convicts were awarded life term imprisonment and fined Tk 10,000, in default to suffer three months imprisonment more, as they were proved guilty.
According to the prosecution, on April 3, 2005, Sub-Inspector Abul Hasnain Azam Khan and head assistant Kamrul Alam Thakur of Madaripur Special Branch were stopped by the members of a Sarbahara gang led by Abdul Aziz at the Par Mor premises of Rajoir, while the duo was riding a motorcycle at night.
Later, the victims were killed and their bodies cut into pieces. The pieces were then floated off into the Kumar river in the district.
Madaripur SB Inspector Abul Khayer Mia filed a case with Rajoir Police Station after both Hasnain and Kamrul were absent for two consecutive days in the office and they were could not be reached.
On May 5, 2005, police arrested prime accused Akkel Ali Madbar, a Sharbahara man, who told the court that nearly 38 members of their gang involved in the killing mission.
After two years more investigation, a charge sheet was filed with a Madaripur court against 32 of the 38 accused in August 2007. On May 4, 2008, the court framed charges against the accused.
Meanwhile, six of the accused including Akkel Ali died before submitting the charge sheet to the court. Four were killed at different times in ‘alleged’ gunfights with the police and other two died due to sickness.
Another six accused enlisted in the charge sheet including Abdul Aziz died during the trial.
During the trial, the judge heard the testimonies of 36 people including Hasnain’s wife Syraia Sultana and Kamrul’s wife Dwlowara Lavli for the state out of 56 witnesses.
Md Mahbubur Rahman, Special Public Prosecutor of the tribunal, said that the documents of the case were transferred to a speedy tribunal in Dhaka from Madaripur court in 2008.