BNP demands explanation from party leader Robi over murder allegation

Robi stands accused in a case over the killing of a Deepto TV staffer in a property dispute

The BNP has demanded an explanation from Central Executive Committee member Shaikh Rabiul Alam Robi over allegations of breaching party discipline and involvement in unethical activities.

The BNP headquarters says that a letter signed by Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi has already been sent.

“The letter has been dispatched already,” a spokesman said. “Shaikh Rabiul Alam Robi has been instructed to submit a response letter to the headquarters in Naya Paltan within 24 hours. The deadline is today [Saturday].”

The family of Deepto TV Broadcast Officer Tanjil Jahan Tamim have accused 16 people in a case over his murder in connection with the ownership of an apartment in Dhaka’s Rampura. Robi is listed as the third suspect in the case. Md Ruhul Kabir Khan, deputy police commissioner of the Tejgaon Division of Dhaka Metropolitan Police, revealed the information at a press conference on Friday.

The police official said that the initial investigation points to the involvement of Robi, as well as that of police Narcotics Control Division official Md Mamun. Legal action will be taken against them after the investigation is complete.

Pleasant Properties Limited had signed an agreement to hand over five apartments to the family of Tamim, who owned the land on which they were built, after construction was completed. However, they only handed over two. Robi, the managing director of the developer, is accused of illegally selling one of the other three apartments to the father-in-law of Mamun.

The case dossier says that the apartment was illegally occupied, leading to an enmity between the two sides for the past three years.

Tamim was severely injured in an attack at the flat on Thursday in connection with the feud. He was rushed to the hospital, where a doctor declared him dead.

On Friday, police said they had arrested five suspects in connection with the case, including staff members of Pleasant Properties. They were identified as Abdul Latif, 46, Qurban Ali, 24, Mahin, 18, Mozammel Haque Kabir, 52, and Badhon, 20.

A police official – OC Saiful Islam of the Hatirjheel Police Station – was also withdrawn from duty over alleged negligence over the incident.