The government has moved for withdrawal of a double murder case against four persons considering it ''politically motivated'' and filed for ''harassment''. The case was filed with Sutrapur Police Station in the capital eight years ago.
Towhid and Yunus, residents of Narendra Basak Lane in Sutrapur, were shot dead by a gang led by Awlad Hossain Dilip and Yusuf Reza around 9:00pm on February 10, 2002, case documents say.
The home ministry on February 11 last year decided to withdraw the case and asked the deputy commissioner (DC) of Dhaka in a letter to take steps in this regard.
Terming the case politically motivated, the letter said the government decided not to proceed with the case, as it thinks it unnecessary.
The DC on March 18 forwarded the letter to the Metropolitan Public Prosecutor (MPP) for taking steps to with draw the case.
MPP Abdullah Abu then submitted an application to the Fourth Additional Metropolitan Sessions Judge's Court of Dhaka on May 4 along with a recommendation letter from the home ministry.
Subsequently, Towhid's brother Mofizur Rahman filed a writ petition with the High Court challenging the legality of the government decision. The hearing is now pending.
Three prosecution witnesses including Towhid's wife and brother have given statements before the trial court so far.
Towhid's wife Hamida in her statement on July 29 last year said a group of criminals led by Dilip and Yusuf attacked her husband when he was talking with some of his friends in front of their house.
Instructed by Dilip, Yusuf shot her husband and the other criminals fired indiscriminately at others injuring Yunus and Nuru seriously. Locals took them to Dhaka Medical College Hospital where doctors declared Towhid and Yunus dead.
Mofizur, Dilip's brother, filed a murder case against Yusuf, Dilip and several others with Sutrapur Police Station the following day. The investigation officer pressed charges against Yusuf, Dilip, Raju and Jony.
Police arrested Yusuf and Dilip who were later granted bail. Raju and Jony went into hiding after the killing.
Hamida told The Daily Star the accused are not linked with any political parties but they had appealed to the government to withdraw the case.
“They were directly involved in the killing. They killed my husband over an enmity. So the case should not be withdrawn considering it a political case,” she said.
Mofizur also said the accused killed his brother and Yunus following a feud in the area.
MPP Abdullah Abu said he had submitted the petition for withdrawal of the case as per home ministry's direction. “I have nothing to do if the government decides to withdraw any cases,” he explained.