Govt high-ups blocking justice

The highest-level officials of the government are blocking the way for justice in the sensational Toki murder case, protesters said yesterday, referring to the delay in the charge sheet submission.
Though Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) said last month that the charge sheet, citing the name of Azmeri Osman, son of Jatiya Party MP Nasim Osman and nephew of Awami League MP Shamim Osman, would be submitted soon, no progress has been made so far, they said.
"Recently Rab's additional inspector general Ziaul Ahsan informed different electronic and print media that they had had confirmation that Azmeri and 10 of his aides killed Toki ruthlessly," said Halim Azad, member secretary of Santrash Nirmul Toki Mancha, a platform seeking justice in the killing of Tanvir Mohammad Toki, who had passed his A-level exams before death.
Azad read out a statement during a news conference in the capital's Jatiya Press Club.
Rab officer Ziaul Ahsan did not respond to phone calls of this correspondent. However, another high official of Rab-11, wishing anonymity, said they hoped to submit the charge sheet shortly.
"It's such a sensational case that we want to get the final confirmation about the witnesses and evidence before submission so that no bias exists in the case," he told The Daily Star.
Toki, son of cultural activist Rafiur Rabbi, was found killed in the Shitalakkhya river on March 8, two days after he went missing. Rabbi sued unnamed people on March 8 but later submitted a complaint to Narayanganj's superintendent of police, accusing seven persons, including Shamim Osman, his son Ayon Osman, and 8-10 unnamed others, of the murder.
Asked about the Osman family's involvement, the Rab official said they did not find enough evidence about Shamim and Nasim Osman's link.
The press statement says Rab's investigation found the political conflict between Toki's father and the Osmans, who lost to Selina Hayat Ivy in the last mayor election, as a reason behind the murder.
Rabbi campaigned for Ivy and led protests against Osman kin's alleged extortion in the transport sector of the city, it adds. "The investigation revealed that they committed the murder to teach Rabbi a lesson."
Two of Azmeri's aides--Yusuf Hossain and Sultan Shawkat alias Bhromor--were arrested last year, and their confessional statements exposed how the killing was carried out upon the order and under the direct supervision of Azmeri. "We are still trying to nab Azmeri, who...is hiding abroad," said the Rab official.
Rab had also detained Azmeri's two chauffeurs and the security guard of Azemri's office, Winner Fashions, in Narayanganj city on August 7 but released them later.
Referring to news reports on the duo's confessions, Azad said Toki was abducted by five people on March 6 evening using Azmeri's car. Around 11:00pm, he was beaten at Winner Fashions before being strangled by Kalam in Azmeri's presence.
Azad said Bhromor obtained bail from the High Court and later left Narayanganj jail on March 20 but the state did not take any action. Alleging that Bhromor had already left the country, Rabbi said had the attorney general moved, it would never have happened.
Communist Party of Bangladesh leader Manjurul Ahsan Khan, eminent journalist Kamal Lohani, and Prof Sharifuddin Ahmed also spoke.