Laxmipur: Jubo League leader Abdullah Al-Noman and Chhatra League leader Rakib Imam were killed by terrorists in Bashikpur of Laxmipur Sadar Upazila last year. The killing of the pair was a nationally discussed event.
Abul Kashem Jehadi, the head of a top terrorist outfit in the district, has been blamed for the murder. A murder case was filed against him as the main accused. However, even after a year of the incident, the main accused Jehadi has remained completely out of touch.
A few members of his force were arrested soon after the incident, but now they are out on bail.
This sensational incident generated the highest discussion at that time, but after a few months, the discussion was suppressed a lot. Dissatisfaction of the family members of the deceased as the main accused was not arrested. And local UP Chairman Mahfuzur Rahman, elder brother of deceased Jubo League leader Noman, who is the plaintiff in the case, is also under insecurity.
The deceased Abdullah Al Noman is the son of Abul Kashem of Ushiakandi village of Bashikpur Union. He was the former General Secretary of District Jubo League. At that time, he was kept as the education affairs secretary of the newly formed committee of the district Awami League. He was the father of two sons.
And Rakib Imam was the former organizing secretary of District Chhatra League. He is the son of Rafiqulya of Nandigram in the same union.
Jubo League leader Abdullah Al Noman went to Saudi Arabia to perform Umrah on April 5 last year. After returning home on April 20, Noman came to his village home on the day of Eid (April 22) from Dhaka home for two days. After coming to the village, the terrorists targeted him. After three days, he was shot and killed in public. Chhatra League leader Rakib Imam who was with him was also killed.
What happened that day
The day of the incident was the night of 25 April 2023. The area was in the mood of Eid-ul-Fitr. That night, Noman exchanged Eid greetings with party leaders and workers at Poddarbazar. Bidding them farewell, Noman along with Chhatra League leader Rakib was going north towards Nagerhat from Poddar Bazar bridge on a motorcycle at around 9 pm. Rakib was driving the motorcycle, Noman was behind. A group of miscreants attacked them near a saw mill. Firing indiscriminately at them. At that time, the terrorists also took their used motorcycle and Noman’s mobile phone.
Noman fell into the canal beside the road. At first no one dared to rescue them for fear of armed terrorists. Later the locals rescued both of them and first took them to the local Bhai Bhai Hospital. As their condition was serious, they were brought to the District Headquarters Hospital. There the doctor on duty declared Jubo League leader Noman dead. Rakib died on the way to Dhaka.
Who was Abul Kashem Jehadi?
Abul Kashem alias Kashem Jehadi. He was twice former chairman of Bashikpur Union. He was the Vice President of Chandraganj Thana Awami League. He was expelled from the party after the Noman-Rabic murders. Jehadi joined Awami League around 1996. Before this he was involved in Jamaat politics. Then he got the title of ‘Jehadi’ by carrying out terrorist attacks on the enemy’s people. Since then, he was involved in various criminal activities including shooting, assault, beating, extortion. There were several cases of extortion, murder, fights against him in the area. He was acquitted at various times due to lack of evidence.
Jihadists have an armed terrorist force. The members of this force are involved in various criminal activities including extortion, dominating the area, murder.
According to information provided by RAB, his force has at least 300 members. The members of the group of double murders were active for a few days but are now active again.
Jehadi is accused in various murder cases including the murder case of Dattapara UP chairman Nur Hossain Shamim in 2013, the murder case of Laxmipur lawyer Nurul Islam in 2000, Abu Taher of Dattapara area, Morshed Alam of Nandigram in Bashikpur, Monir Hossain of Karpara, Salim Bhuiyan and Kamal Hossain of North Jaipur. After the incident, RAB’s preliminary investigation revealed these facts.
Noman-Rakib murder charges against him why?
Bashikpur Union Parishad (UP) elections were held on December 26, 2021. At that time Abul Kashem Jehadi was the chairman candidate with the boat symbol. And Mahfuzur Rahman, brother of Jubo League leader Abdullah Al Noman, was also a candidate. Mahfuzur Rahman became the winner after the defeat of the boat in the election. After being elected, Mahfuzur Rahman stood against the extortion and land robbery of Jihadi and his forces in the area with the help of Chhotabhai Noman. On the one hand, the defeat in the elections, on the other hand, the Jihadi forces are in a crisis of influence in the area. Jubo League leader Noman was targeted on these two issues. As a result, Noman was killed on the orders of Jehadi. And being with him, Rakib was also killed.
Immediately after the incident, such information emerged in the statements of the accused arrested by the police and RAB. And after the murder, Noman’s brother Mahfuzur Rahman blamed Jehadi and his forces.
Jehadi remains elusive, other accused are on bail
The day after the incident, Noman’s brother UP Chairman Mahfuzur Rahman filed a murder case at Chandraganj police station. In this, Abul Kashem Jehadi was named as the main accused and 18 people were named and 14-15 unidentified people were named as defendants. At different times, police and RAB arrested 11 accused and 11 more suspects in the case. The main accused, Abul Kashem Jehadi, along with the other three accused in the charge sheet, are still at large. Law and order forces are not sure where the jihadi is. Immediately after the incident, the jihadi fled and went into hiding. However, when there was a local agitation against him in connection with the murder, he used to send voice messages on WhatsApp from an unknown place. Jihadi has also demanded the ruling of the agitators against him and a large sum of money from some of them. Some say that after the incident, he left the country by crossing the border. However, from a Facebook page called ‘Abul Kashem Jihadi Santeer’, Jihadi has announced his activism by posting various posts at different times.
The investigating officer of the case said that since the case, 11 people who were found guilty, 11 people who were investigated and suspected were arrested. The arrested accused are on bail. Three of them got bail from the High Court.
Investigation Officer Sadar Police Station Inspector (Investigation) Nizam Uddin Bhuiyan said that it was not possible to arrest the four accused including Kashem Jihadi, the main accused in the case. Kashem Jihadi’s whereabouts are also unknown. For a few days, he threatened different people by sending voice, but now it is not happening. Investigation of the case is still ongoing. A lot of important information about the incident has been found. More information remains to be found. Investigation of the case will be completed after discovery of information.
Accused’s statement
Accused Dewan Faisal and Alamgir Hosan alias Kadu Alamgir confessed to the murder. After the incident, RAB-11 arrested Volunteer League leader Dewan Faisal from Thakurgaon district on May 1 and handed him over to the police the next day. In his interrogation and in the statement given to the court, he admitted his involvement in the incident and voluntarily gave a statement under Section 164. He said, the day before the murder, Noman beat a person in the area. They plan to beat up Noman as revenge. After receiving the phone call, he went to Nagerhat area on a motorcycle. Leaving the motorcycle there, Faisal and others walked to the side of the sawmill and waited for a while. Meanwhile, when Rakib was taking Noman on a motorcycle, the killers shot at Rakib with a short gun. Rakib fell at this. Noman jumped and ran into a shop where he was attacked. After entering another shop, one of the three (murderers) took him out and shot Noman in the head. The killers then walked and boarded an autorickshaw. Dewan Faisal went to Ramganj area through a dirt road in that area.
Dewan Faisal is now on bail. He is roaming in the area.
The family of the victims including the plaintiff in the case feared for their lives
The plaintiff in the case, Mahfuzur Rahman, is constantly in fear for his life. He also made a general diary (GD) at the police station.
Mahfuzur alleges that the accused involved in the murder are roaming in public after being out on bail. Party lawyers tried to get the criminals out on bail. Criminals are getting away with their hands. Jehadi was not arrested either. Since the beginning, the law enforcement agencies have been less active in arresting the killers. Accused who came on bail are now organized under the command and direction of Jehadi. Jihadis are still demanding donations from various people by sending voyage messages to undisclosed locations. Rubel threatens to kill Rakib’s brother. He (Mahfuzur) is also insecure in life.
He said, all the accused are now free on bail. The main accused is also out. The killers Sharif, Maqbool, Kalu were also not arrested. The accused who are out on bail are now united. Army members are gathering at Jaribari area in Rashidpur, the home of Jehadi village. Led by Jihadi’s brother Leda and accused Nishan, the rest are roaming around the area with weapons. I can’t leave the house for fear of them. The mosque in front of the house, even coming to pray there, panic works in the mind.
Rakib Imam’s brother Rubel said the same thing, I don’t stay at home. The first was the action of law enforcement agencies. Some accused were arrested. Then I could come and go home easily. But now the accused are out on bail. They have walks in the area. There is now a turbulent environment in the area. I have been threatened by Jihadi and his terrorists several times on mobile phone. I have done GD four times.
At that time, Rubel expressed his anger as the main accused was not arrested.
The weapon was not recovered
Bashikpur was said to be a repository of illegal weapons. At various times there were murders and atrocities. Jehadi’s bodyguard Alauddin was killed a few months before the killing of Noman-Raqib. He himself was an armed terrorist. People of the area were afraid of illegal weapons. At various times, the army members used to practice weapons. These weapons were not recovered in the operation of the law and order forces. However, according to the information given by accused Moshiur Rahman Nishan and Bablu, after the double murder, the police recovered two weapons and five rounds of cartridges used in the murder.
In the deposition, accused Kadu Alamgir also said that he had a pistol in his hand, one had a gun in his hand. After the incident, the law and order forces did not have much success in recovering the weapons. People in the area, including the families of the victims, are still in fear as those weapons are intact.
Ebb in movement
In the beginning, the people of the area were patient with the demand for the trial of the murder case and the execution of the Jehadi. Leaders and activists of the party also demanded the arrest of Jehadi. But within a month, the movement has declined.
As the reason for this, it has been found that the main accused Jehadi has not been arrested but his influence in the area remains. The members of his forces, though initially not in the open, are now mobilized in the area. And after the incident, Jehadi threatened various people by sending messages on their mobile phones. Due to these reasons, the movement among the local people about the trial of murder was completely suppressed.
Plaintiff Mahfuzur Rahman said, everyone is afraid of life. Now everyone is silent for fear of losing their lives at the hands of Jehadis.
The member of parliament himself has doubts about the sentence of the accused
Chandraganj Chhatra League leader M Sajeev was recently shot dead by rival terrorists. Participating in his funeral, Lakshmipur-3 (Sadar) Constituency Member of Parliament and District Awami League President Golam Farooq Pingu said, “In the current state of the Noman-Raqib murder case, there is no sign that the killers will be punished.” I have spoken to the administration. As the case stands, there is a possibility that the criminals will get away with it.
When asked about such apprehension of the MP, the investigation officer (inspector) of the case, Nizam Uddim Bhuiyan said, how and what the MP said is his personal matter. Nothing was communicated to him from our side.
How are Noman-Rakib’s three children?
Jubo League leader Noman’s two sons. And a daughter of Chhatra League leader Rakib. When Noman was killed. At that time, his elder son Nuhad was about 6 years old, and his younger son Nuraj was about 6 months old. Rakib has a daughter named Ruhi. He was about 8 months old at the time of the incident. When these two were killed, their children were not old enough to understand. But Noman’s eldest son Nuhad came to his father’s grave and cried.
Noman’s brother Mahfuzur Rahman said that his brother’s wife and children are now living in Dhaka. They came home during Eid. Two little boys come home and look for their fathers.
Rakib’s brother Rubel said that his brother’s daughter was very young at the time of the incident. He called ‘Baba Baba’ after seeing his father’s picture.
Meeting with the Prime Minister
Noman’s brother Mahfuzur Rahman, Rakib’s father Rafiq Ulya and brother Saiful Islam Rubel met Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on March 21 as the accused in the murder case was not arrested and there was no progress. At that time, they informed the prime minister about the lack of progress in the case. The family members of the victims said that the Prime Minister assured them.
What a senior police officer said
When asked about the progress of the murder case and law and order in Bashikpur, District Additional Superintendent of Police (Administration and Finance) Mohammad Abu Bakar Siddique told BanglaNews that Lakshmipur district police have done a lot of work after the murder. In the beginning we were in the field along with senior officers. The accused have been arrested. The case is under investigation. We are trying to investigate the case properly and give the final report quickly. This case will be questioned, no such investigation will be done in this case. The investigating officer is conducting the investigation with utmost sincerity.
He said that the law and order situation in Bashikpur is normal. Where there is a police camp, there are sufficient officers and forces. We have adequate surveillance in those areas.
Bangladesh Time: 1920 hours, April 25, 2024
SRS
