Police find no evidence against Comilla BCL leader murder suspect Imran

Police say they have not yet found any evidence to link Masud Parvez Khan Imran, a businessman spotted recently with the prime minister's entourage in New York, to the murder of a Bangladesh Chhatra League leader in Comilla.

FBCCI Director Imran is the principal accused in the case over the murder of the BCL Comilla city unit leader Saiful Islam.

Jalal Uddin, assistant superintendent of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), Police, is investigating the case.

"The CID investigates every case very carefully. The CID's job is to take steps only on the basis of eyewitness accounts and specific evidence," he toldbdnews24.com on Saturday.

"Specific evidence is necessary to take action against someone. In the Saiful murder case, we are yet to get enough evidence to arrest or take any action against Imran," he added.

Zahirul Islam Rintu, Convenor of the Swechchasebak League Comilla city unit, filed the case over the murder of Saiful at a programme of the BCL in April last year.

The card which Imran used to enter the UNGA.

Imran's selfie at the UNGA during Sheikh Hasina's speech

In his reaction to the police officer’s remarks, Rintu alleged that the CID officer was taking sides with Imran. 

"Saiful was murdered in front of me on orders from Imran. And this CID investigating officer has not even spoken to me yet," he toldbdnews24.com. 

The Chhatra League leader was killed just outside the venue of the programme. Imran's brother Nasrullah Arman Khan is also among 22 accused in the case.

Their father Afzal Khan, an influential figure in the ruling Awami League in Comilla, is head of the Comilla Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Imran, a former president of the Comilla Chamber, is currently a member of its executive council.

He was seen with several members of the prime minister's entourage in New York. The prime minister was on a visit to the US to take part in the UN General Assembly.

Witnesses said Imran was among the audience, with an identity card showing him to be a representative from Bangladesh while Sheikh Hasina was addressing the UNGA. He posted some of his photos in New York on his Facebook wall.

CID official Jalal said he had heard about Imran's US tour with a group of businessmen from media reports.

Asked how a person who is an accused in a murder case had left the country, Shahjalal International Airport Immigration Police Assistant Commissioner Mansur Alam Qadri said his force had not been informed about Imran.

"We are not aware of who is accused in which case. We take steps when any investigating officer writes to us with a passport number," he said.

Imran (2nd from left) with FBCCI President Abdul Matlub Ahmad (3rd from right) and others in New York.

BCL President Saifur Rahman Sohag and General Secretary SM Jakir Hossain in New York with Imran, accused of killing a leader of the organisation.

He said Immigration Police arrested such persons and handed them over to the investigation officer if informed earlier.

"But nothing like this happened in Imran's case. Had we been informed, we would take steps. There is no scope for exceptions to be made here," he added.

Plaintiff Rintu, a former BCL leader, thinks Imran posted the photos with the members of prime minister's entourage on social media with the aim of averting arrest.  

Recalling the attack on Saiful, he said some persons called Saiful out to a nearby place where they were sipping tea at a shop close to the venue of the programme.

"At one stage, Imran got excited and said 'I'll kill you'. It was then that Saiful was attacked," Rintu said.   

This is not the only case that Imran stands accused of. Among several other cases against him, he has secured bail in an arms case and in another over abduction.

Murdered BCL leader Saiful Islam.

Controversial Awami League leader Afzal's son is a member of the Working Committee of the party's Comilla district unit.

Former BCL leader Atiqur Rahman Pintu, another accused in the Saiful murder case, was also spotted with Imran in New York.

Saiful was known to be a supporter of Afzal's rival, AKM Bahauddin Bahar, MP.

Bahar has expressed his ire over the fact that no arrest has been made in the case.

"Didn't someone kill Saiful then?" he asked.