No justice a year after Lal Chand murder; fugitives roam free, threaten family

One year has passed since scrap trader Lal Chand, also known as Sohag, was brutally murdered in broad daylight in Old Dhaka but the high-profile case remains unresolved, with several accused still at large despite promises of a speedy trial.

Not all of the accused in the case have been arrested. Some are reportedly roaming freely in public and are even committing new crimes. Family members of Lal Chand alleged that the accused are issuing death threats against them. They said they are living in fear due to the lack of security.

On 9 July last year, Lal Chand was murdered on the busy road in front of Sir Salimullah Medical College Hospital (Mitford Hospital) in Old Dhaka. He operated a scrap business in Rajani Bose Lane near the hospital.

He was beaten to death and his head and other parts of his body were crushed with pieces of bricks and stones. The attackers also stripped him naked. CCTV footage showed assailants jumping on his body after the killing.

The murder sparked intense nationwide outrage at the time. Videos of the incident circulated widely on social media, renewing public debate over extortion and criminal syndicates in Old Dhaka.

The following day, on 10 July, Lal Chand's elder sister, Manjuara Begum, filed a murder case at the Kotwali police station. Nineteen people were named as accused in the case.

Following a nearly six-month investigation, the then-officer-in-charge (OC) of Kotwali police station, Md. Moniruzzaman submitted the charge sheet to the court on 8 December last year.

After reviewing the document, the court ordered several corrections, including spelling errors and other inconsistencies. In the meantime, the investigating officer, Moniruzzaman, was transferred to Shahbagh police station.

Subsequently, the case was handed over to the new Kotwali OC, Shah Md. Faisal Ahmed. Five months after the court order, the police resubmitted the corrected charge sheet in June.

Ziaul Haque, the lawyer representing the plaintiff, told Prothom Alo, “The court has accepted the revised charge sheet. The case has been transferred from the CMM Court to the Dhaka Metropolitan Sessions Judge Court. A new date has also been set for the hearing.”

However, Lal Chand’s family alleged that the father’s name of one of the accused was changed in the revised charge sheet.

Current investigating officer Shah Md. Faisal Ahmed has submitted a charge sheet to the court, accusing a total of 21 individuals for their direct or indirect involvement in the murder. The charge sheet also recommended the acquittal of 10 others due to lack of evidence regarding their involvement in the incident.

The accused named in the charge sheet are: Mahmud Hasan Mohin, Sarwar Hossain Titu, Mongol Mia alias Monir Hossain, Alamgir, Monir alias Lomba Monir, Nannu alias Nannu Kazi, Sojib alias Sojib Bepari, Tareq Rahman, Titon Gazi, Opu Das, Rizwan Uddin alias Abhijit Basu alias Abhi, Zahirul Islam, Parvez, Sagar, Ruman Bepari, Abir Hossain, Zahir alias Jalil, Imran, Sharafat alias Shafiul Islam, Hossain Chowkidar and Ziauddin Rajib.

Of the 21 accused, 13 have been arrested and are currently in jail. Eight others remain fugitives. The absconding suspects are Sarwar, Zahir, Imran, Sharafat, Ziauddin, Hossain Chowkidar, Monir and Opu.

According to the charge sheet, Lal Chand was murdered due to a long-standing feud with accused Mahmud Hasan and Sarwar Hossain over the control of the scrap metal trade and local dominance.

The family of the deceased scrap dealer, Lal Chand, has raised serious allegations of tampering with the police investigation. They claim that when police showed them a draft of the charge sheet on 8 December, the father of the accused, Imran was listed as Abdul Aziz.

However, in the final version submitted to the court, the father’s name was changed to Nizam Madbor, despite the family insisting the first name was correct.

While police records list Imran as absconding, Lal Chand’s relatives allege he is operating a shop named ‘Imran Metal’ in Old Dhaka with impunity. They claim he is using various channels to pressure them into closing the shop Lal Chand left behind.

The charge sheet details Imran’s brutal involvement in the murder. It states that he participated in the assault to ensure Lal Chand’s death, after which he dragged the body to the hospital gate and engaged in ‘diabolical celebration’ while chanting slogans.

Bithi Akter, the daughter of the plaintiff who is assisting with the case, alleged that the police changed the father's name in exchange for a bribe to make it easier for Imran to secure bail.

She also shared a chilling threat allegedly issued by the suspect, “Just as I finished off Lal Chand, I will finish you too. Don’t overstep. Keep your shop closed."

When contacted on Monday, Kotwali OC Faisal Ahmed said there is no scope for changing a father's name in the charge sheet.

He added that if it did happen, it may have occurred without his knowledge. Since he did not conduct the entire investigation, he could not provide an immediate clarification but promised to look into it.

Follow-up calls were made to the OC’s mobile phone on Wednesday for an update, but he did not respond.

The charge sheet details the specific roles of the accused, naming Mohin and Sarwar as the masterminds who orchestrated and led the killing. They were reportedly present at the scene throughout, giving continuous instructions.

After the murder, both were seen leading their followers in chants around the body. Another accused, Monir, reportedly jumped on Lal Chand’s chest with his hands raised in a gruesome display of victory after his death was confirmed.

Lal Chand’s family alleged that the Sarwar is exerting pressure on them through various means. They claim he is active on social media and has even been spotted occasionally in Rajani Bose Lane. He has reportedly warned the family not to pursue the case further.

Bithi Akter, daughter of the plaintiff Manjuara Begum, said that Sarwar has been sending death threats via Facebook Messenger, “Don't push too far. The punishment for one murder is the same as for multiple murders."

Regarding these threats, OC Faisal Ahmed said, "No one has informed us of this in the last two months. If informed, we will certainly take action."

Sharafat, one of the primary accused in the Lal Chand murder case, continues to carry out criminal activities despite being listed as a fugitive in the police charge sheet. On 25 June, allegations surfaced that he forcibly abducted a garment scrap merchant in South Keraniganj and demanded Tk 500,000 in extortion. A new extortion case has since been filed against him at the South Keraniganj Police Station.

According to Dakkhin Keraniganj police sources, Sharafat has been using the identity of a Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD) leader to conduct various criminal operations.

Jamilul Haque, Additional Superintendent of Police (Dakkhin Keraniganj Circle), told Prothom Alo, “Sharafat is an accused in the high-profile Lal Chand murder case. He faces multiple allegations of land grabbing and extortion. He is a notorious criminal and we are working to apprehend him.”

The legal delay has left the victim’s family frustrated. Ziaul Haque, the lawyer for the plaintiff, noted that the government had initially pledged to move the case to a Speedy Trial Tribunal. “That promise remains unfulfilled. The family still demands that the trial be fast-tracked through the specialized tribunal,” he said.

For the family, the lack of justice has turned into a daily struggle for survival. Bithi Akter, the daughter of the plaintiff, expressed her despair, “A year has passed and there is still no justice. Now, instead of closure, we are living in constant fear for our lives because of the death threats from these killers.”