Bus drivers confess involvement

Drivers of Sraban Paribahan and Manjil Paribahan yesterday confessed to magistrates about their alleged involvement in the killing of Dhaka Tribune official Nazim Uddin.

Nazim Uddin, a senior executive of the advertisement department of the English daily, was killed after being knocked down and run over amid a race between two buses of the abovementioned companies on Mayor Hanif Flyover in Dhaka on May 18.

The 38-year-old was heading towards Gulistan from Jatrabari on his motorcycle.

Metropolitan Magistrate Sadbir Yasir Ahsan Chowdhury recorded the confessional statement of Ohidul, driver of Sraban Paribahan, and Metropolitan Magistrate Md Ahsan Habib recorded statement of Kamal, driver of Manjil Paribahan, at their chambers.

Sub-inspector Iqbal Hossain of Jatrabari Police Station and also the case's investigation officer produced them before the court after completion of their one-day remand and appealed to the courts for recording their confessional statements.

In his confessional statement, Kamal said he was a newly-appointed driver of Manjil Paribahan and did not know the roads well. He said he entered the wrong lane and passengers rebuked him. So, he hurriedly went to the right lane and ended up hitting Nazim.

It was unintended, he said. The driver of Sraban Paribahan then ran him over, he added.

Court sources said Ohidul gave a similar statement.

Meanwhile, the High Court on May 22 issued a rule asking the authorities concerned to explain in four weeks why they should not be ordered to pay Tk 1 crore in compensation to Nazim's family.