Five men took part in journalist Alif’s murder, Tajul fired the shot

Two accused in the murder case of journalist Lutfuzzaman Alif in Durgapur, Netrokona, have given confessional statements before a court. They said Tajul Islam was the mastermind behind the murder and that five people directly took part in it. Tajul shot Alif with a pistol, they said. Police provided the information, citing the confessional statements.

The two accused, Imran Islam alias Imon, 24, and Sabbir Ahmed, 25, gave their confessional statements under Section 164 of the Code of Criminal Procedure to Nurul Amin Bhuiyan, senior judicial magistrate of the Durgapur court, on Sunday afternoon. The recording of their statements began at 3:45pm and continued until 7pm. The judge subsequently ordered that they be sent to jail.

Durgapur Police Station Officer-in-Charge Khandaker Shaker Ahmed told Prothom Alo that the two accused had said in their statements that Tajul Islam had a longstanding dispute with journalist Alif. The murder was committed as a result of that dispute. They used to work for Tajul as his associates and had various businesses in the border area. Alif obstructed their businesses and provided information to the police, which had also fuelled their resentment towards him.

The OC added that, according to the two accused, five people directly participated in the murder. Tajul Islam shot Alif with a pistol. After ensuring that Alif was dead, they fled the scene when people began arriving.

The OC said the statements also mentioned several people besides Tajul. Their names were not being disclosed at this stage in the interest of the investigation. Their identities were being kept confidential to facilitate the arrest of everyone involved in the murder, he added.

Police said at least 13 cases had been filed against Tajul over various offences, including murder, attempted murder, arms and drug offences, explosives, kidnapping, extortion, robbery and theft. His gang was also involved in smuggling along the border. He reportedly runs a criminal gang in the area under his own name.

Alif’s wife, Anandita Sangma, also known as Khadija Akter, previously told Prothom Alo that Alif had obtained information about Tajul’s arms and smuggling activities and passed it on to the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB). Around four years ago, RAB, now known as SRB, arrested Tajul.

In the last week of October, Durgapur Police Station OC Khandaker Shaker Ahmed told Prothom Alo that Alif had gathered information about Tajul’s various activities and published photographs and videos of his home on Facebook. Tajul believed Alif had also provided law enforcement agencies with information about the weapons he possessed. Alif had previously been attacked because of the resentment this caused, the OC said.

Journalist Lutfuzzaman Alif was shot dead on the night of 15 October in the Telonjia area near Utrail Bazar, along the Shyamganj-Birishiri road in Durgapur upazila. He was the Netrokona correspondent for private television channel Ruposhi Bangla. He also ran a Facebook page called “Detective Article”, where he published investigative reports on smuggling and other crimes and irregularities in the border area.

The day after the murder, Alif’s wife filed a case with Durgapur Police Station, accusing seven to eight unidentified people.

A team of the District Detective Branch (DB) police arrested Imran and Sabbir early Saturday from the Dhanpur Bazar area of Bishwambharpur upazila in Sunamganj. With their arrest, four people have now been detained in connection with Alif’s murder. Earlier, Sajibul Islam alias Apurbo was arrested on 18 October, and Ashikur Rahman alias Prangan on 20 October.

Netrokona Superintendent of Police Tarikul Islam told Prothom Alo, “The investigation has progressed considerably. We have established who else was involved in the murder. We hope to arrest them soon and bring them to justice. Details will be shared at a press conference afterwards.”

Meanwhile, Alif’s wife, Anandita Sangma, also known as Khadija Akter, has joined a private hospital in Dhanmondi, Dhaka, as a nurse. Kayser Kamal, lawmaker for the Netrokona-1 (Kalmakanda-Durgapur) constituency and Deputy Speaker of Parliament, arranged the job for her. She joined on Thursday. Anandita has moved to Dhaka with her two children and mother.

Anandita, who belongs to the Garo community, was in a relationship with Alif. She converted to Islam when they married and later took the name Khadija Akter.

Speaking to Prothom Alo over the phone on Saturday night, Anandita Sangma said, “After the news was published in Prothom Alo, many people offered to help. A woman called me and offered assistance, asking for my bank account number. Since then, several others have called and assured me of their support. Now that I have a job, I do not need financial assistance from anyone else for the time being.”

Anandita added, “I want Tajul Islam, shooter Shamim and every other accused involved in this murder to be arrested quickly. They must receive exemplary punishment. I will never get my husband back, but I want to live to see the punishment of those who brutally shot him dead, orphaned my two children and left me without a husband. I want them to be hanged.”