Trial of Satkhira editor murder stayed again

S M Alauddin

Appellate Division of the Supreme Court has stayed for two months the trial of daily Patradut Editor S M Alauddin murder.
The SC order followed filing of a leave to appeal petition by two charge-sheeted accused against an earlier order of the High Court (HC).
Accused Abdus Sabur and Khalilullah Jhharu submitted the leave to appeal petition with the Appellate Division of Supreme Court against the HC order as the HC rejected a prayer submitted by them to shift the trial court from here to any other place.
After the petition, the Division Bench of HC stayed the trial till August 8 last year. But after hearing, the court rejected the prayer on November 5 last year.
Afterwards, trial of the murder case began again with the court here. Judge Ashish Ranjan Das of the District and Sessions Judge Court fixed January 24 to resume trial of the case asking the accused to appear before court, court sources said. As soon as the court resumed proceeding of the case, the counsel for the accused produced before court the Supreme Court's order staying trial for two months.
After hearing, judge of the District and Sessions judge Court suspended the trial for two months, court sources said.
The Daily Patradut Editor SM Ala Uddin was shot dead by assailants while discharging his professional duties at his office here on June 19, 1996.
Police arrested a Jubo League activist and a member of the killing squad Saiful Islam after five days of the incident. He disclosed names of other accused.
The investigation officer (IO) submitted charge sheet with a magistrate court here pressing charges against 10 accused after over 11 months of investigation on May 5, 1997.
The accused are Abdus Sabur, Khalilullah Jhharu, Saifullah Kislu, Momin Ullah Mohon, Abdur Rouf, Abul Kalam, Eskendar Mirza, Atiar Rahman, Saiful Islam and Safiur Rahman. Saifullah Kislu died on January 15. Saiful Islam and Abdur Rouf are now in jail as they were convicted in two separate cases earlier.
Accused Abdus Sabur, Khalilullah Jhharu, Abul Kalam, Momin Ullah Mohon and Safiul Islam were released on bail granted by the High Court while Matiar Rahman and Eskendar absconded soon after the murder.
The trial delayed because of submission of a petition by five accused to HC seeking quashment. HC accepted the prayer and quashed the case in 1998. On appeal from the government, the Supreme Court rejected the quashment order of the HC which withered away the hindrances to resume the trial even after 11 years in 2007.
SM Ala Uddin was elected a member of the Provincial Assembly as an Awami League (AL) candidate from Tala-Kalaroa constituency in the 1970 elections.