MP Ekramul settles hit-and-run case against his son with Tk 2m

The family of a man killed in a hit-and-run incident involving the son of MP Ekramul Karim Chowdhury has agreed to take a one-time payment of Tk 2 million and a monthly payment of Tk 20,000 in exchange for dropping charges.

“Tk 2 million has been deposited into the bank account of Selim’s wife China Begum,” Abdul Alim, the brother-in-law of 55-year-old victim Selim Bepari, told bdnews24.com.

“I cannot say anything more about this,” Noakhali-4 MP Ekramul Chowdhury told bdnews24.com. “I am tired of explaining it.”

Asked about the meeting to decide the settlement, he said that he had not attended it.

According to Abdul Alim, the meeting for the settlement was held in the presence of Nawar Properties Managing Director Imran Hossain in Dhaka’s Mohakhali DOHS on Jun 21.

Representatives from the Noakhali MP met the family, he said.

“The representatives for the MP gave us Tk 2 million. We met with the MP afterwards. We will dismiss the case.”

Selim was a driver and had worked for Nawar Properties for more than two decades.

An Audi SUV registered under the name of the Awami League MP’s wife Kamrun Nahar Shiuli ran over and killed him in Mohakhali on the night of Jun 19.

Witnesses said Ekramul’s son Shabab Chowdhury was behind the wheel during the incident, but Shiuli, the chairperson of Kabirhat Upazila Parishad in Noakhali, claimed one of their chauffeurs, Nurul Amin, was driving the car.

Muhammad Imran Hossain Khan, the managing director of Nawar Properties, told bdnews24.com on Friday that the Noakhali Sadar MP had called him and proposed a settlement.

Ekramul wants the case started at Kafrul Police Station to be withdrawn and in return, he will stand by the victim’s family, Imran said.

“The MP also sent a man to our Baridhara office to discuss it.”

He said no-one from the police or the MP’s family was present during the discussions, but it was attended by Selim’s wife China Bepari, daughter Sadia Akter Tamanna, son-in-law Ariful Islam Bhuiyan and some other relatives.

“Selim was the sole breadwinner of the family. So we’ve requested the MP to make a fixed deposit of Tk 3 million so that Selim’s family can survive,” Imran said.

Selim’s son-in-law Ariful, the plaintiff in the case, said they would agree to whatever Imran considers best for the family.

Ariful has not named anyone in the case.

“A life cannot be compensated for with any amount of money. Then again, what’s the point of pushing the case? I’ve responded to the MP’s call mainly considering the family’s future,” Imran said.

Selim lived with his wife and a seven-year-old son at Uttarkhan. He was waiting for a transport to his daughter Tamanna’s home in the same area before he was hit by the car.

Imran also said Ekramul admitted that one of his family’s cars was involved in the accident, but his son Shabab was not driving it.

Prokash Biswas, a lawyer experienced in criminal cases, said, “The charges under such cases are bailable, but not negotiable. The plaintiff can technically relieve the accused by giving a statement.”

Kafrul Police Station OC Sikder Mohammad Shamim did not remark on the issue.

Case investigator Sub-Inspector Sujon Karmaker did not take phone calls.

Several police officials, requesting anonymity, said they think a settlement is highly likely as the victim’s family do not have the financial ability to continue with the case for long.

Dhaka Metropolitan Police Deputy Commissioner Md Masudur Rahman said they were trying to identify the driver by using CCTV camera footages.

Asked about the negotiation bid, he said the issue depended on the court.