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| Bangladesh |
| Four accused in Zubair murder case escape from dock |
| 2014-02-24 |
| [Dhaka Tribune] The four accused in the Zubair murder case escaped yesterday from the dock shortly after a Dhaka court cancelled their bail and ordered that they be sent to prison. The escapees are Khandaker Ashikul Islam, alias Ashik, Khan Mohammad Rais, Ishtiaq Mehbub Arup and Mahabub Akram -- all are students of Jahangirnagar University and Chhatra League ... the student wing of the Bangla Awami League ... activists. Earlier, they obtained a conditional bail from the High Court. Speedy Trial Tribunal 4 Judge ABM Nizamul Haque recorded 12th prosecution witness Humayun Kabir, then sub-inspector of Gulshan cop shoppe, who conducted the inquest report of the victim, gave deposition and was cross-examined by the defence counsel. In addition to the four, the court also issued arrest warrants for the two other accused, who were not presented before the court yesterday, and set February 27 for the prosecution witness. It asked the authorities concerned to send the arrest warrants to Ashulia and local cop shoppes of the accused. The tribunal cancelled their bail under section 497 (5) of CrPC. The six accused were alleged to have threatened Zubair's friends who came to observe the trial procedure at the court and assaulted them physically on January 19. On the day, one of Zubair's friends Nazmul Islam filed a general diary with Kotwali cop shoppe accusing the six. According to the general diary, the attackers including Khandaker Ashikul Islam Ashik threatened Nazmul with saying: "You are conducting your movement very well, but remember if we are not hanged, a further murder will take place." On January 23, Public Prosecutor SM Rafiqul Islam applied for cancellation of the bail granted to the six. Two other accused -- Rashedul Islam and Jahidul Islam -- of the murder case have been absent from their court appearance since January 23, said Defence counsel Jakir Hossain Mollah. The counsel said the duo might have fled the country. On January 27 police submitted the investigation report to the court in connection with the GD filed by Nazmul, a student of Jahangirnagar University. In the report, investigation officer Md Rafiqul Islam, sub-inspector of Kotwali cop shoppe, mentioned that he found the allegations against the six were true. On February 6, the court issued show cause notice to the six accused asking why their bail should not be cancelled since they threatened the victims' friends and disobeyed the bail condition. On February 12, the defence counsels on behalf of the four escapees accused of murder submitted written apologies to the court for their action. About the incident of escaping from the court, Public Prosecutor SM Rafiqul Islam told the Dhaka Tribune the court police hardly took any steps to increase police presence on the court premises yesterday. "No police were deployed on the court premises, so when the accused heard the bail cancellation order, they bravely ran away from there," he added. Asked about the escape, Deputy Inspector General SM Mahfuzul Haque Nuruzzaman of Dhaka range told the Dhaka Tribune the four escapees were not under police custody. The court did not inform police they would be presented before the court yesterday, he added. Zubair's brother Abdullaha-Al-Mamun said he was afraid because the accused had beat feet from the court. He said it proved that the accused were cold-blooded murderers and that was why they could run out of the court in broad daylight. On September 8, 2013, the court framed charges against a total of 13 university students accused in the Zubair murder case. According to the case statement, honour's final year student Zubair Ahmed of JU English Department departed this vale of tears on January 9, 2012. Zubair was severely beaten on the campus by activists of a rival faction of Chhatra League, the pro-Awami League students' wing. JU Deputy Registrar Hamidur Rahman filed the case with Ashulia cop shoppe. On April 8, 2012, Meer Shain Shah Pervez, the then sub-inspector and also investigation officer of the case, submitted the charge sheet accusing 13 students. |
| Posted by:Fred |