Mystery shrouds over chillingly similar Faruk and Farooqi murders

Police are saying the murders of two religious figures in Dhaka in a span of eight months are chillingly similar.

Eight months ago, six men, including the self-styled Pir Lutfur Rahman Faruk, were slaughtered in his Dhaka home.

Police are yet to get any leads in the case.

On Wednesday, Islami Front leader Nurul Islam Farooqi, who hosted two Islamic programmes on Channel i, was found slaughtered at his residence under seemingly similar circumstances.

Jahangir Hossain Matubbar, who is investigating the multiple murder case, said the two murders were ‘almost identical’.

The Detective Branch deputy commissioner feels the same people are behind both the crimes, although he has not identified any suspects in his case.

On Dec 21 last year, unknown assailants killed Faruk, 60, his son Sarwar Islam aka Monir, caretaker Monjur Alam and his followers 'Shaheen', 'Rasel' and Mojibur Rahman on the first floor of a four-storey building on Ramkrishna Mission Road, Gopibagh by slitting their throats.

Farooqi was murdered in the presence of his family at his residence on Wednesday night at East Razabazar.

His family and two guests, however, were left alive with their hands and feet tied.

Police investigation has revealed that Islamic extremists were furious with Faruk for claiming to be a Pir.

Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat leader Farooqi’s followers said he, too, was being threatened for speaking against Jamaat-e-Islami, Hifazat-e-Islam and Hizb-ut Tauhid.

There were 10-12 men involved in the Gopibagh murder and they left after the crime. Police say it does not appear to have been a robbery although some objects went missing from the home.

Jahangir Matubbar believes one of the extremist groups is involved in the Gopibagh murder and it may be the banned Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen (JMB).

"Police are working on the case every day, but we don't have enough to press charges yet," he said.

Faruk's son Abdullah Al Faruk alleged that the police enthusiasm for the case was dying out. He said he believed his father and brother were killed by a militant group.

"He didn't have money or property. He was obviously killed for his views," he said.

Farooqi was a presidium member of Islami Front, an organisation that opposes Jamaat and Hifazat.

Islamic Front member Fazlul Haque said Farooqi preached the core messages of Islam and spoke against Jamaat, Hifazat, Hizb-ut Tauhid.

"Many were angry with him," he said.

Dhaka Metropolitan Police Deputy Commissioner Biplab Kumar Sarkar said police were putting emphasis on this angle. "His family is saying he has been threatened before," he said.

"We're pursuing several avenues of investigation. Religious dissent is at the foremost," RAB Additional Director General Ziaul Ahsan told bdnews24.com.

Farooqi was the owner of a business called Farooqi Tours and Travels which serves Hajj pilgrims. DC Biplob said police were also exploring whether the murder had anything to do with any aggrieved client.

Farooqi had two wives. His second wife Lubna Islam lived with him, while his first wife and her children lived in Malibagh.

Police are also looking into whether the murder was the outcome of a familial strife.

A case filed by the family listed goods worth about Tk 600,000 looted from the house.

His son North South University student Faisal Farooqi filed the case.