‘Murdered’ in July uprising, man fights to prove he’s alive

Md Selim, a grocer from Beltoli Bazar in Mymensingh's Phulbaria, has been listed as dead in a murder case filed over last year's July uprising.

The case alleges that he was shot dead by police near Kajla Petrol Pump in Dhaka's Jatrabari on August 3 and was subsequently buried near a graveyard in Gopibagh.

Ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina, Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader, and former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal were among 41 people named as accused in the case.

The case was filed by Selim's elder brother, Golam Mostofa, who claimed his 50-year-old brother was gunned down during the protest. Two more brothers -- Helal Uddin and Abul Hossain -- backed up the claim as witnesses.

But there's just one problem: Selim is alive.

These days, Selim -- who had never even set foot in Dhaka before August 5 -- finds himself going from one government office to another, trying to prove that he is, in fact, alive.

The case has stirred up quite a commotion in Mymensingh, as Selim is very much alive despite being shown as dead in a case filed in connection with the July uprising.

The answer, many believe, lies in a bitter inheritance feud. After the death of their father nearly two decades ago, the four brothers had been locked in a dispute over ancestral property. With Selim having no sons -- only two daughters -- his brothers allegedly saw an opening.

And they took it.

To achieve this, Mostofa reportedly hatched a plan to have Selim declared dead and filed the case.

Now, Selim is fighting not just for his land, but for his very existence -- at least on paper.

Selim is the youngest of four brothers. His eldest, Helal, drives a battery-run auto-rickshaw, while Abul Hossain is a marginal farmer. Mostofa used to work as a bus driver in Dhaka.

About 12 years ago, Mostofa left the area after allegedly killing a 10-year-old boy named Royal to frame his rivals in a murder case, said Shefali Akhter, Royal's aunt.

Selim alleged that when he tried to sell part of his land during his daughter's wedding, his brothers stopped him, wanting the property for themselves as Selim had no sons.

He claimed they forcibly took control of his 150 decimals of land, including his home, and forced him out about two years ago after he refused to transfer ownership in their favour.

Selim now lives near his grocery shop in Beltoli with his wife, Hazera Khatun.

"In 2022, there was a dispute over the land. They beat me up, and I filed a case against them, which is still ongoing," he said. "They threatened me to withdraw the case. When I didn't, they began harassing me. Then came the student movement -- they used it as an opportunity to show me as dead in a murder case."

"If they could kill me and make my body disappear, this case would serve to establish that I died during the movement," Selim said.

He said he is facing severe harassment because of the case, adding, "I've been to Jatrabari Police Station, CMM court and the DB office five times -- and I'm still struggling to prove that I'm not dead."

Meanwhile, the complainant of the case, Mostofa, is on the run, police said.

Local police have investigated the recent case and submitted a report, saying Selim, who is alive, was shown as deceased in the case due to a family dispute.

Mohammad Rukunuzzaman, officer-in-charge of Phulbaria Police Station, said, "Mostofa is a known robber in the area. He has four cases against him, including two for murder, one for extortion, and one for assault. He has not been seen in the area for at least 10 to 12 years since a murder case was filed against him."

This correspondent visited the homes of Helal and Abul Hossain, but they declined to comment. Mostofa's phone remained switched off.

Sub-inspector Aminul Islam of the Detective Branch of Dhaka Metropolitan Police is currently investigating the case.

Speaking to The Daily Star, he said Mostofa went into hiding after the matter came to light. "His phone is switched off," he added. "We have sent notices to Selim and one of his brothers for DNA testing."