Police say BNP leader involved in murder of Deepto TV staffer, OC withdrawn

The family of the victim filed a case naming 16 people, including BNP central leader Sheikh Rabiul Islam, as suspects

Dhaka Metropolitan Police have arrested five suspects for beating Tanjil Jahan Islam Tamim, a broadcast officer at Deepto TV, to death at his home in Hatirjheel’s Mohanagar Project Area.

The family of the victim filed a case naming 16 people, including BNP central leader Sheikh Rabiul Alam, as suspects. Rabiul is listed as suspect No. 3.

Rabiul is the managing director of Pleasant Properties, a developer that constructed a building on a piece of land owned by Tamim's father under a contract. The company’s men entered Tamim’s home and beat him to death over a feud regarding the sharing of flats in the building, the case alleges.

Police also found the primary involvement of Md Mamun, deputy director of the Department of Narcotics Control, in the incident. Mamun had bought a flat in the building under his father in law’s name.

Police arrested five suspects, including staff members of Pleasant Properties. They were identified as Abdul Latif, 46, Qurban Ali, 24, Mahin, 18, Mozammel Haque Kabir, 52, and Badhhon, 20.

Tejgaon Deputy Police Commissioner Ruhul Kabir Khan shared the information at a press briefing on Friday. He also said that OC Saiful Islam of the Hatirjheel Police Station was withdrawn from duty due to negligence over the incident.

The land was owned by Tamim’s father, the deputy commissioner said. As per the contract between the developer and the land owner, Pleasant Properties was supposed to provide five flats to the land owner.

As of now, the developer had handed over only two flats. Of the remaining three flats, it sold one to the father-in-law of DNC officer Mamun. The parties have been engaged in a conflict for the last three years over the issue. As a consequence, Pleasant Properties Manager Abdul Jabbar, DNC officer Mamun and other suspects suddenly entered Tamim’s home and attacked him. Tamim was grievously injured in the attack. He was taken to the hospital, where the doctor declared him dead.

“We’re not looking at the political identity, but at the criminals themselves. We see them only as criminals. Whoever it is, if they committed a crime, they’ll be indicted. Initially, we found him involved [in the incident]. An investigation will find the roles played by each of the suspects. Besides, the DNC officer has been named as the No.1 suspect in the case. We’ll investigate his involvement in the case. BNP leader Rabiul is suspect No.3,” said the deputy commissioner.

Asked how involved the BNP leader was in the murder, the deputy commissioner said: “It’s a conflict between the land owner and the developer company. Hence, he [the company’s MD] would be responsible by default. The rest of it will be proven after investigation.”

It was reported that the political influence of Rabiul had prevented the police from taking the necessary action. The police also found ‘negligence’ on the respective police officer’s part, the deputy commissioner said.

That was why the Hatirjheel Police Station chief was removed, he said.