The murder of the Jhenaidah-4 parliament member Anwarul Azim in Kolkata, the capital of the Indian state West Bengal, is extremely shocking and alarming.
This the very first time a Bangladeshi lawmaker has been murdered on foreign soil. In home minister Asaduzzaman Khan’s words, the incident of Anwarul Azim’s murder is premeditated and the people involved in this murder are Bangladeshi citizens.
All the sensational details that have come up about the murder of Anwarul Azim are even more dramatic than some crime thrillers. According to detective branch of police sources, an expatriate living in the US named Akhtaruzzaman who was a friend and business partner of Anwarul Azim planned this murder about a month ago. This murder has been committed in connection to dispute over business shares.
Anwarul Azim went to Kolkata by road on 12 May for treatment and stayed at a friend’s house. He went out of that house speaking of his treatment on 13 May and didn’t return. Even his cellphone was switched off.
The detective branch of police in Dhaka arrested three people on suspicion of being involved in the murder, who had returned to Dhaka after the murder. Reportedly, the mastermind of the murder Akhtaruzzaman has fled away.
Sources from the detective branch of police say that Akhtaruzzaman had rented a flat at Sanjeeva Gardens in the New Town area of Kolkata and had Anwarul Azim killed with the help of hired killers by cunningly luring him into that apartment.
When looked into Anwarul Azim’s political background, it was found that he joined in politics following a BNP leader in 1988. He was elected a councilor of Kaliganj municipality in 1992. Later he became the chairman of Kaliganj upazila parishad by joining Awami League from BNP.
There were 21 cases filed against him and the Interpol had issued a red notice in his name in 2007. After Awami League came to power in 2009, all the cases filed against him were withdrawn and he was elected member of parliament in 2014, 2018 as well as in 2024.
There’s no scope to label every single one of the cases, filed against Anwarul Azim as politically motivated. The allegation of smuggling gold and running hundi business that have been brought against a lawmaker, needs to be investigated with great importance.
We want a fair investigation into the murder of Anwarul Azim and exemplary punishment of the criminals. In addition to that, it is also important to solve the mystery of the reasons behind his murder.
Were the cases filed against Anwarul Azim investigated properly? Not bringing the person against whom the Interpol had issued a red alert to justice, is not a sign of the rule of law.
Would these cases still be withdrawn if he had not joined Awami League from BNP? The reality is that there are plenty of instances of cases being withdrawn and punishment being pardoned on political consideration.
Policy makers of the government had claimed to have exterminated extremists. But, the incident of Anwarul Azim’s murder proves the fact that their claim is not entirely true.
There is former extremist group leader Shimul Bhuiyan, who identified himself as Syed Amanullah among those detained on suspicion of being involved in the murder. He has had a passport and even a national ID card made under this name.
Not just the ruling party, the incident of Anwarul Azim’s murder has also brought the country face to face with a number of questions. The killers had passports and national ID cards made with false information by changing their names. They went outside of the country without any difficulties and also returned back to the country after finishing the killing mission.
Then where is the security of the state and the people? The allegation there is about the involvement of serious criminals with power politics, is once again brought to light through this incident.