‘Fugitive’ suspect Ahsan Labib made acting president of Chhatra Shakti

Ahsan Labib, a suspect in the murder case over the killing of former Chhatra League leader Shamim Molla at Jahangirnagar University, has been appointed acting president of Jatiya Chhatra Shakti.

According to a press release, Labib was given the responsibility of acting president after President Zahid Ahsan resigned, citing personal reasons at the organisation’s fifth general meeting on Wednesday.

Labib is the social welfare secretary of the Jahangirnagar University Central Students’ Union (JUCSU). Chhatra Shakti is the student wing of the National Citizen Party (NCP).

On Sept 18, 2024, former Chhatra League leader Shamim Molla was allegedly beaten to death on the Jahangirnagar University campus.

Two days after the incident, the university administration filed a case with Ashulia Police Station against eight students, including Labib, and 20 to 25 unidentified people over alleged involvement in Shamim Molla’s murder.

Later, Shamim’s elder brother, Shahin Alam, filed another murder case at a Dhaka court on Oct 9 of the same year.

In that case, nine Jahangirnagar University students, including Labib, were named as suspects. The university’s Chief Security Officer Sudipta Shaheen, Deputy Registrar Zefrul Hasan Chowdhury, and then-Proctor AKM Rashidul Alam were also accused.

Anisur Rahman Bappi, a sub-inspector of the Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI) and the investigating officer in the case, said: “The case is still under investigation. Action will be taken against those who have not been arrested based on the findings of the investigation.”

When contacted by phone for comment, Jatiya Chhatra Shakti’s acting president Ahsan Labib did not answer.

Zia Uddin Ayan, president of the Jahangirnagar University unit of Jatiya Chhatra Shakti, also could not be reached as his phone was switched off.

Later, Mahfuzur Rahman, office secretary of the central committee of Jatiya Chhatra Shakti, said: “He is not a fugitive; he is on campus. Many people are talking about this. Some people from the Chhatra League are also trying to portray him as a criminal. Whether he is guilty or not—that is for the law to determine, the courts and the judicial system of the country to determine. If the organisation takes action against a leader merely after such allegations are made, that would be tantamount to punishing him before trial. In that case, there would be no practice of democracy here.”