Family receives death threat one year after Tipu Murder

To remove the names of four murder suspects from the charge sheet, the family of murdered Awami League leader Jahidul Islam Tipu has repeatedly been threatened with death.

The suspects are Golam Ashraf Taluker, an organizing secretary for the Dhaka Metropolitan South Unit of the Awami League, Maruf Ahmed Mansur, a councilor for Ward No. 10 under the Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC), Sohel Shahriar alias Rana, a former president for the Motijheel Thana Unit of the Chhatra League, and Maruf Reza Sagar, the sacked president of the Ward No. 10. 

Family members of Tipu now live in constant fear of a fatality. They have expressed concern about receiving justice in the infamous murder case because a charge sheet has not yet been filed with the court by the investigation authorities.

Around 10:00pm on March 24, 2022, Tipu, former general secretary of the greater Motijheel Thana Unit of Awami League, was shot dead near Khilgaon rail gate under Shahjahanpur of the capital. College student Samia Afnan Priti was also hit by stray bullets and died shortly.

Farzana Islam Dolly, wife of Tipu, told the Daily Sun that she lodged six general diaries (DGs) with Shajahanpur Police Station after getting threats from unknown numbers.

“But police have not yet traced those who made the threats over phone. Police advised me either not to receive calls from unknown numbers or change my phone numbers,” said Dolly, also a councillor (reserved) of the DNCC.

“In the last few weeks, I received several calls that threatened me to exclude the names of four suspects. But I did not lodge GD anew, thinking that the filing of GDs is not yielding any results. It is nothing but wasting time,” she said.

She said that the statement of prime suspect Sumon Shikder alias Musa in his confessional statement before the court disclosed the names of 16 persons, including the four -- Ashraf, Mansur, Rana and Sagar.

On the charge sheet, she said, “Whenever I contact DB Motijheel on the matter, they tell me that they will soon place the charge sheet before the court. But they could not do so in the last one year,” she said.

Dolly sought an intervention from Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to get justice in the murder of her husband.

When contacted, Monir Hossain Molla, officer-in-charge of Shajahanpur Police Station, told the Daily Sun that they handed over the GDs to the DB Motijheel Division.

“And we are also working, but we are yet to trace the persons who are threatening the family members of Tipu,” he said.

When contacted, Rafiqul Islam, additional commissioner (DB) of Motijheel Division, told the Daily Sun on Tuesday that a charge sheet would be submitted soon.

So far, law enforcers arrested 25 suspects for the Tipu murder.

Of them, Musa, Masum Mohammad Akash and Nasir Uddin alias Manik gave confessional statements before the court.

While a number of suspects came out of jail on bail. They are Rakibur Rahman, Yasir Arafat, Ishtiaq Ahmed, Mashiur Rahman and Arifur Rahman.