BCL activist Faruk murder at RU

Six years pass, trial yet to begin

Six years have passed since 110 Jamaat-Shibir men were charged with the murder of Faruk Hossain, a Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) activist at Rajshahi University (RU) in February 2010. The trial in the case is yet to begin.

Complainant Mazedul Islam Opu, the then general secretary of RU’s BCL unit, alleged that the police did not take the case seriously. A few BCL leaders, wishing anonymity, alleged that the police were making a delay in exchange for bribes from Jamaat-Shibir men.
Echoing the BCL leaders, a lawyer of the Rajshahi district judge’s court said accusing so many people might have been “a technique to take bribes” from the accused.
Several legal experts in Rajshahi judges’ court, too, said that accusing a large number of people “destroys the merit of a case” and “weakens it”. They suspected a motive behind so many people being charged in a case and blamed this for the delay. It will take a lot of time to frame charges against so many accused. Prosecution lawyer in the case, Rafiqul Islam, said that after the opening of the trial, the defence team might file time petitions on different grounds and thus delay the proceedings.
Among the prime accused were Jamaat-e-Islami leaders Motiur Rahman Nizami, Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mujahid, and Delwar Hossain Sayedee, and Islami Chhatra Shibir’s then RU unit president Shamsul Alam Golap and general secretary Mobarak Hossain. Prime accused Nizami was hanged for his involvement in Liberation War crimes on May 11 this year, while Mujahid was hanged for the same reason on November 22, 2015. 
The Supreme Court sentenced Sayeedi to life imprisonment on September 17, 2014.
Investigating officer Zillur Rahman said, “At a rally in Rajshahi city on February 6 (three days before the violence), the three top Jamaat leaders provoked Shibir activists to attack BCL men, triggering the clash that left Faruk dead.”
Zillur, then OC of Rajpara police station where the case was filed, submitted the charge-sheet to the Rajshahi chief metropolitan magistrate court against 110 Jamaat-Shibir men on July 30, 2012. The officer ruled out all the allegations made by the lawyers and the BCL, considering that too many people being charged.
Faruk was killed in a clash between Jamaat-backed Shibir activists and pro-Awami League BCL men at RU on February 9, 2010. His body was dumped into a manhole. The next day, BCL leader Mazedul Islam Opu filed a murder case, accusing 35 named and 29 unnamed Jamaat-Shibir men.
Following the incident, the university authorities formed two probe committees, one a day after the clash and the other on April 27, 2011. They submitted their reports, identifying some of the perpetrators and recommending punishment for them. But no punitive measures have been taken yet.
RU vice-chancellor Prof. Muhammad Mizanuddin said action would be taken against the culprits “immediately”, but did not give any time limit.

BCL activist Faruk murder at RU

Six years pass, trial yet to begin

Six years have passed since 110 Jamaat-Shibir men were charged with the murder of Faruk Hossain, a Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) activist at Rajshahi University (RU) in February 2010. The trial in the case is yet to begin. Complainant Mazedul Islam Opu, the then general secretary of RUs BCL unit, alleged that the police did not take the case seriously. A few BCL leaders, wishing anonymity, alleged that the police were making a delay in exchange for bribes from Jamaat-Shibir men. Echoing the BCL leaders, a lawyer of the Rajshahi district judges court said accusing so many people might have been a technique to take bribes from the accused. Several legal experts in Rajshahi judges court, too, said that accusing a large number of people destroys the merit of a case and weakens it. They suspected a motive behind so many people being charged in a case and blamed this for the delay. It will take a lot of time to frame charges against so many accused. Prosecution lawyer in the case, Rafiqul Islam, said that after the opening of the trial, the defence team might file time petitions on different grounds and thus delay the proceedings. Among the prime accused were Jamaat-e-Islami leaders Motiur Rahman Nizami, Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mujahid, and Delwar Hossain Sayedee, and Islami Chhatra Shibirs then RU unit president Shamsul Alam Golap and general secretary Mobarak Hossain. Prime accused Nizami was hanged for his involvement in Liberation War crimes on May 11 this year, while Mujahid was hanged for the same reason on November 22, 2015. The Supreme Court sentenced Sayeedi to life imprisonment on September 17, 2014. Investigating officer Zillur Rahman said, At a rally in Rajshahi city on February 6 (three days before the violence), the three top Jamaat leaders provoked Shibir activists to attack BCL men, triggering the clash that left Faruk dead. Zillur, then OC of Rajpara police station where the case was filed, submitted the charge-sheet to the Rajshahi chief metropolitan magistrate court against 110 Jamaat-Shibir men on July 30, 2012. The officer ruled out all the allegations made by the lawyers and the BCL, considering that too many people being charged. Faruk was killed in a clash between Jamaat-backed Shibir activists and pro-Awami League BCL men at RU on February 9, 2010. His body was dumped into a manhole. The next day, BCL leader Mazedul Islam Opu filed a murder case, accusing 35 named and 29 unnamed Jamaat-Shibir men. Following the incident, the university authorities formed two probe committees, one a day after the clash and the other on April 27, 2011. They submitted their reports, identifying some of the perpetrators and recommending punishment for them. But no punitive measures have been taken yet. RU vice-chancellor Prof. Muhammad Mizanuddin said action would be taken against the culprits immediately, but did not give any time limit.