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Published : 29 Jul 2025, 04:45 PM
More than a decade has passed but there has yet to be any significant progress in the trial over the murder of Jubo League leader Reazul Haque Khan Milki.
The sluggish pace of the judicial proceedings for the case over the shooting death of the then Dhaka Metropolitan South Jubo League organising secretary in the capital's upscale Gulshan is largely down to the repeated failures to secure the attendance of witnesses.
The defence lawyers also want the trial to end quickly.
Although Jul 17 was the last date for recording testimonies in the court of Dhaka Second Speedy Trial Tribunal Judge Arunabh Chakraborty, no witness appeared that day.
The next date for witness testimony has been set for Aug 21.
Lawyers and court officials say non-cooperation from witnesses has led to non-bailable arrest warrants being issued against several of them. Yet, they continue to miss their scheduled appearances. For the upcoming date, summons have been issued to five police officers to testify.
The last testimonies in the case were given by Mohammad Ziaur Rahman and Huzur Ali on Jul 3 last year. Before them, five others had testified.
The murder in 2013 had caused a stir in Jubo League politics. Charges were framed five years after the incident on Nov 8, 2018.
In the seven years since, only seven out of 75 witnesses have testified.
Public Prosecutor Abdul Noor Bhuiyan (Bablue) said that since he took charge of the case, no witness has appeared in court.
"The prosecution is making every effort to bring in the witnesses and complete the trial. But the witnesses are simply not showing up. Even non-bailable arrest warrants haven't succeeded in getting them to court."
To expedite the case, the trial has been under way at the Dhaka Speedy Trial Tribunal since March 2022.
On the night of Jul 29, 2013, Milki was shot dead at close range in public view outside the “Shoppers World” store in Dhaka’s Gulshan.
In the chargesheet submitted five years later, investigators said that the murder stemmed from a pre-existing feud between Milki and another Jubo League leader, HM Zahid Siddique Tarek.
The motive reportedly involved disputes over dominance, organisational positions, election nominations, and distribution of funds from multiple sources.
WHAT HAPPENED THAT NIGHT
When Milki left his private car outside Shoppers World that night, a man dressed in a white Panjabi, pajama, and a cap approached him while speaking on a mobile phone held to his left ear. Suddenly, the man drew a small firearm with his right hand and fired a shot at Milki.
Caught off guard, Milki was hit and collapsed to the ground. The attacker then fired seven or eight more rounds directly at him, leaving Milki dead on the spot.
Shortly after, another man arrived on a motorcycle. The shooter got on the back of the vehicle and fled the scene.
The man seen firing the shots was Jubo League leader Tarek. The man who helped him escape on the motorcycle was Sohel Mahmud.
Just two days later, on Jul 31, Tarek -- the prime accused in the murder case -- was killed in what the RAB described as a "gunfight”.
Tarek’s associate, Shah Alam, was also killed during the incident.
NINE-YEAR WAIT FOR TRIAL TO START
On Apr 15, 2014, RAB Assistant Superintendent of Police Kazemur Rashid submitted the initial chargesheet against 11 individuals in the Milki murder case.
However, the plaintiff, the victim’s brother Rashedul who gave a single name, objected to it. Accepting the petition, the court ordered further investigations.
More than a year later, on Sept 23, 2015, CID Assistant Superintendent of Police Uttam Kumar Biswas submitted a supplementary chargesheet implicating seven additional individuals.
On Nov 8, 2018, the Dhaka Fifth Additional Sessions Judge's Court formally indicted 18 suspects.
After testimony from only four of 75 witnesses, the case was transferred to the Dhaka Speedy Trial Tribunal-2 to expedite proceedings.
One of the accused in the much-discussed case was Jahidul Islam Tipu, former general secretary of the Awami League's Motijheel unit, who was shot dead on Mar 24, 2022, in Dhaka's Shahjahanpur. However, he had previously been dropped from the charge sheet in the murder case.
The 18 accused in the case, after two phases of inquiry are, are Sakhawat Hossain Chanchal, Aminul Islam alias Habib, Sohel Mahmud alias Sohel Bhuiyan, Chunnu Mia, Arif alias Arif Hossain, Shahidul Islam, Ibrahim Khalilullah, Jahangir Mandal, Fahima Islam Lopa, Rafiqul Islam Chowdhury, Sharif Uddin Chowdhury alias Pappu, Tuhin Rahman Fahim, Syed Mujtaba Ali alias Rumi, Mohammad Rashed Mahmud alias Ali Hossain Rashed alias Mahmud, Saidul Islam alias Nuruzzaman, Sujon Howlader, Dewan Md Fariuddoula alias Pappu, and Mamunur Rashid.
Four of the accused are absconding, while 14 are out on bail.
WHAT LAWYERS SAY
Fariuddoula’s lawyer, Taifur Rahman Sumon, said his client has long been a victim of this case. “None of the witnesses who have testified so far have mentioned his name. Still, we’ll do everything possible to prove his innocence through evidence.”
Mohammad Salauddin Howlader, the lawyer for three accused -- Tuhin, Rashed, and Nuruzzaman -- also demands that the trial conclude soon. “We’ll continue the legal battle to prove our clients innocent.”
The plaintiff and his legal representative could not be reached for comment.
