Five years after Ekram murder in Feni, 17 convicts still at large

Five years into the killing of Fulgazi Upazila Chairman Ekramul Haque Ekram, law-enforcement agencies have yet to arrest 17 people convicted of their roles in the murder in Feni.

Ekram’s family members fear they may not get justice as there has been no death reference or hearing on the appeal against the verdict over the past fourteen months.

Although some of the perpetrators have received the verdict they deserved, the mastermind behind the attack has yet to be arrested, Ekram’s brother Mozammel Haque told bdnews24.com.

The government should make sure that the convicts do not evade the capital punishment in the High Court, he added. Also, they should take initiative to implement the verdict soon. 

Ekram, the then Fulgazi Upazila chairman and Awami League president, was hacked and shot to death in Feni on May 20, 2014.

On Mar 13 this year, Feni Sessions Judge Aminul Haque sentenced 39 to death in the case filed by Ekram’s elder brother Rezaul Haque Jasim. Another 16 accused in the case, including BNP leader Mahtab Uddin Ahmed Chowdhury Minar, were acquitted.

The death reference documents were sent to the High Court within 72 hours of the verdict on Mar 13. An appeal hearing will take place once a paperbook is prepared based on the documents. However, there has been no progress on the issue at the High Court.

Among those sentenced to death, 22 are in prison, eight fled after receiving bail and nine have been absconding from the beginning of the case. Those sentenced to death but now at large include Zahid Hossain Jihad, joint general secretary of Fulgazi Upazila wing of Awami League, Abidul Islam Abid, Chowdhury Md Nafiz Uddin Anik, Arman Hosen Kausar, Zahedul Hashem Saikat, Ziaur Rahman Bappi, Jasim Uddin Nayan, Emran Hossain Russel, Rahat Md Irfan, alais Azad,  Ekram Hossain alias Akram, Shafiqur Rahman alias Moyna, Kafil Uddin Mahmud Abir, Mosleh Uddin Asif, Ismail Hossain Chhuttu, Mahiuddin Anis, Bablu and Titu, said the defendants’ lawyer Ahsan Kabir Bengal.

The verdict stated that Ekram was murdered over his political feud surrounding local elections.

Ekram’s political rivalry with the accused over the local election was the motive behind his murder, the court said in its verdict. Jihad and Abid, who was directly engaged in the murder have fled the country with the help of an influential quarter, believe the locals.   

Police have no information about the convicts’ whereabouts, said chief of Feni Model Police Station Abul Kalam Azad.

There is no special initiative from the police to arrest the convicts in Ekram murder case, he told bdnews24.com. “Police are looking for the 17 convicts at large like any other murder case. They will be arrested when found. However, we heard that few of them went abroad.”