Ex-BNP MP Monju, 6 party men in fresh charge sheet

Mojibur Rahman Monju

Former BNP lawmaker Mojibur Rahman Monju and six other party men have been included in the fresh charge sheet of Union Parishad chairman Taher Uddin Taho murder case in Bajitpur in Kishoreganj district.
Manju was elected from Kishoreganj-6 (Bajitpur-Nikly) constituency in the last parliamentary election
Their names were dropped from the charge sheet submitted earlier.
Present investigation officer (IO) of the case additional superintendent of police (ASP) Sharif Shamsul Huq of Bajitpur Circle submitted the charge sheet to a first class magistrate court in Kishoreganj on Tuesday.
The other BNP leaders included in the charge sheet are Bajitpur upazila BNP secretary and Hilochia Union Parishad chairman Abul Fazal, Musharof Hossen of Satuta village, Salam of Hilocia, Jaynal Abedin of Parabajitpur in Nikly upazila, Methu of Boromaipara in Bajitpur and Achmat Ali of Gurui village in Bajitpur.
All the seven were on the list of accused in Taher Uddin Taho murder case, sources at Bajitpur police station said.
Earlier, on November 25, the former IO of the case, SI Imdadul Huq Bashar of Bajitpur police station, submitted charge sheet of the case by dropping names of former BNP lawmaker Manju and six other BNP leaders.
As the names of seven BNP leaders were dropped from the charge sheet, complainant of the case Taher Uddin Taho's wife Josna Begum submitted a prayer to the court for reinvestigation.
Following the prayer, the court ordered reinvestigation into the murder by a police officer not below the rank of superintendent of police (SP). As per the court order, ASP Sharif Shamsul Hoque conducted a fresh investigation and submitted the charge sheet, police sources said.
Taher Uddin Tahu was killed at Hilochia Bazar in Bajitpur on October 10 last year. The killers shoot Tahu and then hacked him with lethal weapons in the morning, Tahu's wife Josna alleged in her complaint.
She filed a murder case with Bajitpur police station on the same day accusing 22 people including former lawmaker Mojibur Rahman Monju as the 'mastermind' and Bajitpur upazila BNP secretary Fazal as the 'gang leader' of the killers.
According to the case statement and complainant Josna, there was a dispute between Tahu and Monju for long over water bodies in Bajitpur. Tahu led a rival faction of BNP in the area.
It was also alleged that party men led by Tahu attacked Monju's a public meeting and ransacked the podium on September 20 last year.
According the charge sheet and investigation by ASP Sharif Shamsul Hoque, Monju expressed his grievances against his rival Tahu at several indoor party meetings and threatened Tahu with death.
ASP Sharif Shamsul Hoque said, among the 22 accused, five were arrested and produced before court, which sent them to jail. They are in Kishoreganj jail now.
In the charge sheet, the rest 17 accused including Monju were shown as absconding. But sources close to Monju said he is on anticipatory bail granted by a higher court.
Court Inspector Chapal Kanti Roy said, the ASP of Bajitpur Circle submitted the charge sheet. Hearing will be held in the court of first class magistrate Habibun Nahar.
While contacted, complainant Josna begum said, she is happy as all the 22 accused are included in the new charge sheet. She hopes she will get justice now.
She alleged that by using the influence of the then ruling party, Monju managed to drop his name and names of six others from the earlier charge sheet.