Bangladeshi murder accused repatriated after arrest in Qatar airport

An accused in a case over the murder of Narsingdi Awami League leader Mahbubul Hasan last week has been arrested in a Qatari airport, police have said.

The arrestee, Rasel Mahmud, 45, runs a superstore in South Africa and also has business in Bangladesh.

Superintendent of Police Mohammad Mostafizur Rahman said on Saturday that Rasel, the accused No. 2, had been involved in Jubo League, the ruling party youth front.

Immigration Police detained Rasel when he embarked at the airport in Qatar on Thursday.

He was sent back to Bangladesh 12 hours later.

The Immigration Police at Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka handed him over to Narsingdi district police upon his arrival on Friday.

SP Mostafizur said Rasel had given important information in initial interrogation and police would seek his seven-day remand to get more information.

As many as six other suspects in the murder of Mahbubul have been arrested.

They are Habibur Rahman, 65, his three sons Md Himel Mia, 43, Jewel Mia, 39, and Md Nobel, 28, Md Rabbi, 19, Md Mithu, 35, and Md Lipu Mia, 45.

Mahbubul, a former chairman of Meherpara Union Council, was the general secretary of the Awami League’s local union unit.

Around eight armed assailants attacked him and his associates when he was returning home from the local party office in the Bhagirathpur Mazar Bus-stand area on Tuesday night.

Mahbubul and his companions Sayeed and Farhad, who were identified with single names, were injured by bullets and sharp weapons.

Mahbubul was declared dead when the locals rushed them to Narsingdi Sadar Hospital.

His brother Hafiz Ullah on Thursday started a case against 34 suspects, naming 22.

Ataur Rahman, a member of the union council, was identified as the main suspect.

SP Mostafizur said police seized bullet shells and sharp weapons used in the “planned killing over control of the area”.