Nur, Yasin’s ouster recommended

The Awami League has taken the first step to expel Nur Hossain, the prime suspect in the Narayanganj seven murders, from the post of vice-president of Siddhirganj unit.

The ruling party’s Siddhirganj chapter on Saturday also suggested ouster of its General Secretary Haji Yasin Miah, who also stands accused in the murder case.

Siddhirganj AL chief Mojibur Rahman said recommendations for removal were made at a meeting of the unit in the afternoon.

“But the central committee will take the final decision,” he added.

The recommendations came over 10 days after dead bodies of seven men, including Narayanganj City’s Ward-2 Councillor Nazrul Islam, were found in the Shitalakhyya River.

Rahman said the duo would be kept out of all organisational activities.

“The (Narayanganj) metropolitan committee has been informed about the decision,” he added.

Nur Hossain is also the Ward-4 Councillor of Narayanganj City Corporation.

Hossain and Yasin are the prime suspects in the abduction case which was filed by Nazrul Islam’s family after his kidnap on Apr 27.

The case has now turned into a murder case following the discovery of his body.

Six others including the district’s senior lawyer Chandan Kumar Sarkar were also whisked away the same day around the same time.

All of them were killed and their bodies were found floating on the river several days later.

Since the recovery of the bodies, Hossain and Yasin have gone off the grid.

The law enforcers are still clueless about their whereabouts.

Mojibur Rahman on Saturday said the demand for maximum punishment to the perpetrators of seven murders was also raised at the meeting.

Nur Hossain is also the chief of Inter-district Truck Drivers’ Union’s Siddhirganj unit.

He became a city councillor on Awami League ticket after he parting ways with the BNP.

Hossain was also once a leader in Jatiya Party.

Nazrul Islam’s family has alleged that Hossain paid Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) Tk 60 million to commit the crimes.

After he was abducted, Nazrul Islam’s supporters had torched Yasin’s house, a petrol pump he owned and Hossain’s offices.

Police had raided Hossain’s house after the bodies were found, detained several people and confiscated a microbus.

On May 6, Narayanganj district administration razed down more than 50 establishments erected illegally by Hossain, his brother Nuruzzaman Joj Mia and his other cohorts at Kanchpur on the bank of the Shitalakhyya.

Another raid on five shops owned by Hossain on Friday also led to the seizure of crude weapons and a huge number of drugs.

The district administration also revoked the licences of 11 weapons belonging to Hossain and his associates.