Despite the passing of over five months since the murder of hotel boy Riyad, police are yet to arrest prime accused Ariful Islam Sohel, owner of Ghorowa Hotel and Restaurant in the capital.
Family members of 16-year-old Riyad are living in fear as they had allegedly received threats following the refusal of an offer for negotiation by the hotel owner.
Two out of the three accused in the case – Jasim, a co-worker of Riyad, and Khabir – have been arrested so far in connection with the October
27, 2015 murder. Jasim has told the court about the murder of Riyad by restaurant owner Sohel.
Five other employees of Ghorowa Restaurant, on October 30, gave judicial statements saying that owner Sohel had brutally tortured Riyad and then shot him dead.
“There are three accused in the case. Two have been arrested and we are on the hunt for Sohel,” Alim Hossain Sikder, investigation officer of Wari police station, told The Independent yesterday. “The probe has reached the last stage and we will submit the report soon,” he added.
One accused and 16 witnesses have so far appeared before the court for giving depositions under Section 164. The witnesses said Sohel had shot Riyad and tried to pass it off as an incident of mugging.
At midnight on October 27 last year, Riyad was shot at an under-construction building owned by Sohel in Swamibagh area of the capital. He was taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital where doctors pronounced him dead.
Ghorowa owner Sohel later claimed that it was an incident of mugging. Riyad’s brother Ripon Hossain filed a case with Wari police station accusing three persons, including Sohel.
The murder of Riyad sparked widespread protests and workers’ rights activists took to the streets demanding arrest and punishment for Sohel. Various organisations, including Sramik Nirapatta Forum, Bangladesh Trade Union Kendra, Bangladesh Institute of Labour Studies (BILS) and Jaitya Garhostho Nari Sramik Union organised various programmes in the capital demanding Sohel’s arrest.
“There is evidence against Sohel. He is a moneyed man and this can also be the reason why he has not been arrested yet. We want him arrested and we want justice for my brother's killing,” Ripon said.
Riyad, who was from Chandpur district, had been working at the restaurant for three years. He was the only brother of Ripon. The boys had lost their father, and their mother is a domestic help.