No trial of artillery fire murders in 39 years

Trial in the case over murder of 13 people in Dhaka’s Mohammadpur in artillery fire on Aug 15, 1975 by killers of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and his family has not been completed in the 39 years.

Prokash Biswas, Court Correspondentbdnews24.com
Published : 14 August 2014, 04:17 PM
Updated : 14 August 2014, 05:51 PM

শিল্পী: শাহাবুদ্দিন আহমেদ

The court could not make the plaintiff appear before it despite issuing arrest warrants while the investigation officer has been accused in another case.
The state counsel could not say anything clearly about the progress in the case proceedings.
Cannon balls fired during attacks on the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu’s residence in Dhanmondi fell on several houses on Sher Shah Suri Road in Mohammadpur killing 12 people, including women and children.
Mohammad Ali, husband of Rizia Begum, one of those killed, filed a case with Mohammadpur police on Nov 29, 1996 over the incident after the Awami League assumed office.
The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of police pressed charges against 18 people, including Bangabandhu killers sacked Lt Col Syed Faruque Rahman, ex-Lt Cols Khandker Abdur Rashid, Muhiuddin Ahmed, sacked Major Shariful Haque Dalim and former Major AM Rashed Chowdhury in April, 2001.
Plaintiff Ali, also a local leader of the Awami League, gave partial deposition on Mar 19, 2007 after the court framed charges. Since then, he did not appear before the court to complete his deposition.
The state counsel said the plaintiff did not appear before the court despite several arrest warrants.
An investigation by bdnews24.com found that the court summons were sent to his previous address in Sher Shah Suri Road, but now he lives in Shyamali under the Savar Police Station.

CID’s former ASP Munshi Atiqur Rahman, the investigation officer who is now facing charges in the cases over grenade attacks on an Awami League rally on Aug 21, 2004, is also not appearing before the court.

Judge AHM Habibur Rahman Bhuiyan recorded depositions of 14 witnesses when he was the Fourth Metropolitan Sessions Judge in Dhaka. But no-one appeared before the court on several dates of currently presiding Judge Md Ruhul Amin.

The next date for deposition of the witnesses is on Sep 23.

Those killed in the incident are Rizia Begum, her 6-month-old daughter ‘Nasima’, Habibur Rahman, Anwara Begum (1), Anwara Begum (2), Moyful Bibi, Sabera Begum, ‘Abdullah’, ‘Rafizol’, Safia Khatun, Sahab Uddin Ahmed, Amin Uddin Ahmed and Kasheda Begum.

Thirty-four others were injured in the incident.

Mohammadpur Nabajug Model Government Primary School’s incumbent Headmaster Abdur Rob, who was among the injured, has testified in the case.

He told bdnews24.com he was only 12/13 when the cannon-ball hit the Sher Shah Suri houses. Rob was injured in his chin, thigh and arm and admitted to Suhrawardi Hospital.

Rob’s wife Hasina Begum, also a witness to the incident, told bdnews24.com Rizia and Nasima were her relations.

“The bodies of the two were mutilated. The legs of tiny Nasima were cut off the body. The scene still frightens me. What did Nasima do? Those who had killed her haven’t been tried yet,” she added.

Though the prosecution cannot trace the plaintiff, bdnews24.com found him at Mohammadpur in Dhaka.

Ali told bdnews24.com he was threatened several times after the case was filed.

“I want to complete the deposition. But nobody informs me of the case dates.”

He alleged negligence of the state counsel in handling the case.

When contacted, Dhaka Metropolitan Sessions Judge Court Public Prosecutor Abdullah Abu said: “The witnesses will be taken to the court under police protection if they are threatened.”

He, however, could not say who the plaintiff was when the next date was, how many witnesses had given depositions and which court was dealing with the case.

Additional PP of the court Saiful Islam Helal does not have the information, either. When reached, he asked bdnews24.com for the phone number and address of the plaintiff.

Among the 18 charged accused, Faruque Rahman, retired Lt Cols Sultan Shariar Rashid and Muhiuddin Ahmed, former Major Bazlul Huda and AKM Mohiuddin Ahmed were executed on Jan 28, 2010 for Bangabandhu murder.

Several other accused - Abdur Rashid, Shariful Haque Dalim, retired Lt Cols FHMB Noor Chowdhury, Abdul Aziz Pasha and Rashed Chowdhury, ex-Major Ahmed Shariful Hossain aka Shariful Islam, former Captains Abdul Mazed, Md Kismat Hashem and Nazmul Hossain Ansar, retired Risaldar Moslem Uddin aka Mosleh Uddin, and Dofadars Marfat Ali and Abul Hashem Mridha - are on the run.

Another accused Taher Uddin Thakur died in 2009.

Bangabandhu and most of his family were killed by some army offices on Aug 15, 1975.

His two daughters, incumbent Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Sheikh Rehana, survived the massacre as they were outside the country on the fateful night.