Who are the youths seen on CCTV?

When publisher Dipan was parking his car on the east side of Aziz Super Market on Saturday afternoon, a youth was caught “suspiciously moving” by a CCTV camera. About half an hour later, the same youth was seen leaving the market along with five others.

Two of them were carrying two bags looking weighty, according to Nazmul Ahsan, president of shop owners' association of the market. Nazmul claimed to have seen the footage, and according to officials, police too have obtained it. 

Talking to The Daily Star yesterday, he said the youth entered the building around 2:15pm through an entrance to the parking and left around 2:54pm through another entry-exit point at the east side of the market.

"The two youths were always holding the bags although those were hanging from their shoulders," he added.

According to Nazmul, all the youths could be aged between 20 and 22 and they were in pant, shirt and t-shirt

He said the whole episode was captured by two CCTV cameras -- one at the east side of the market and another at the parking. The market has at least 14 entry-exit points and four of those were not under CCTV coverage.

Unidentified assailants hacked dead Faisal Arefin Dipan of Jagriti Prokashani inside his office on the second floor of the market building on Saturday. The killing came to light around 6:00pm after the door locked from inside was opened by his colleagues in presence of police. The office was not under any CCTV coverage.

Around afternoon that day, publisher Ahmedur Rashid Chowdhury Tutul of Shuddhoswar Prokashani and two writers Tareq Rahim and Ranadipam Basu were hacked by three youths at Shuddhoswar office in Lalmatia. 

As there were no eyewitnesses, the time of the killing is not confirmed yet. 

Contacted, Mashrukure Rahman, deputy commissioner of the Detective Branch (DB) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police told The Daily Star yesterday that they in the CCTV footage found the movement of many people suspicious.

"We are not in a position to say anything about any specific suspicion. It will take time as we need to see the footage repeatedly," he added.

Investigators of Dipan murder case were also checking the list of calls processed through the mobile phone towers covering the market area, DB sources said.

Meanwhile, after a three-day strike protesting the killing, owners and employees of Aziz market opened their shops yesterday morning.

Around 12:15pm, the owners and employees along with publishers and writers took to the street in front of the market demanding immediate arrest of the killers.