Little headway in Milky murder investigation

A month has passed since Jubo League leader Milky's murder, which was captured on a closed-circuit camera placed at a shopping mall in the capital's Gulshan.
Law enforcers were yet to arrest the four alleged planners, who stand accused in the first information report (FIR) of the murder case.
They are Zahidul Islam Tipu, joint secretary of Motijheel Thana unit of Awami League, Shakhawat Hossain Chanchal, organising secretary of Jubo League (North), Wahidul Alam Arif, general secretary of Jubo League (South), and Chanchal's associate Sohel.
Riazul Haque Khan Milky, organising secretary of the Dhaka city (south) unit of Jubo League, was shot dead by his party men at 1:07am on July 30.
After one month of the killing, Milky's family members expressed their dissatisfaction with the progress made so far in the case.
"We only know Tipu and Arif are the main planners. They used two professional killers -- Tarek and Chanchal -- to carry out the murder," Niloy Khan Milky, cousin of the deceased, told The Daily Star.
"Tipu and Arif have not been suspended from the party, let alone being arrested," he added.
Footage of the camera at the shopping mall's entrance showed that a man wearing a white Punjabi and an Islamic prayer cap shooting at Milky from a close range.
Two other men were also seen helping the killer.
Hours after the murder, members of Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) arrested Jahid Siddique Tarek. They claimed that Tareq was the man in white Punjabi and cap.
But Tarek and one of his alleged cohorts were killed in a "shootout", when unidentified criminals attacked Rab members on their way to Gulshan Police Station to hand Tarek over to the police on July 31.
Later, Rab took over the case from Gulshan police with permission from the home ministry.
So far Rab arrested eight people including Chanchal's driver, Jahangir Mondol, and Fahima Islam Lopa, wife of Milky's close associate Sagar. Lopa had confessed to helping the killers.
At the Motijheel AGB colony, where Milky grew up and carried out his political activities, this correspondent yesterday saw posters on walls demanding a fair investigation of the murder.
Some of the posters illustrated that Tipu, Arif, Chanchal and Sohel were the killers.
Talking to The Daily Star, locals demanded that Milky's murder should be investigated without any political interference.
Some Jubo League activists in the AGB colony said Tipu, Arif and Milky wanted to contest for ward councillor post in the local body polls.
"When Tipu and Arif found that Milky had more support among voters in the area, they felt threatened and joined hands," said Niloy.
He also said "Milky had opposed Tipu, who uses his political influence to arrange admission for students in Motijheel Ideal School in exchange for money."
Contacted, Kismat Hayat, commanding officer of Rab-1, said two-thirds of the investigation of the case had been completed.
"We have arrested eight accused and are trying to arrest the others. Photos of the other accused were sent to different posts of border forces to prevent their escape," he said.
Law enforcers were keeping an eye on other suspects, he added.