GCC engineer Delwar killed over workplace 'grievances'

Delwar Hossain

Police have submitted charge sheet against three accused in a case filed over the murder of Delwar Hossain, an executive engineer of Konabari zone of Gazipur City Corporation (GCC).

Police in the charge sheet said Delwar was killed over the grievances at workplace, what the victim’s family didn’t believe.

Inspector Sheikh Mofizul Islam of Turag police station submitted the charge sheet to Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Court on 30 April.

Delwar’s wife Khodeza Akter said, “There might have some little disputes and feud among the colleagues at the workplace and I don’t believe my husband was killed only for revenge. We will decide on the charge sheet after sitting with all the family members."

The three accused in the Delwar murder case are engineers Selim alias Anis Hawlader, 41, mercenary Helal Hawlader Shahin, 45, and microbus driver Habibur Rahman Khan, 35.

On 11 May last year, engineer Delwar Hossain was killed on his way to the office from his Mirpur-11 residence. His body was found in the jungle beside the bridge-5 of Uttara Sector 17 around 3:30pm on same day.

Following the incident, his wife Khodeza Begum filed a murder case with Turag police station. Police arrested three people in this connection. Two of them are Helal Howlader alias Shahin and driver Md Habib.

On 21 May, they made confessional statements before the court admitting their involvement in the murder. In his deposition, Helal Howlader alias Shahin claimed he was a hired killer.

On 27 May, Delwar's colleague assistant executive engineer Anisur Rahman gave his deposition at the court.

At that time, police said Anisur planned the murder because of his conflict with Delwar at the workplace and three arrested accused carried out it.

A year after the incident, police submitted charge sheet against three accused on 30 April last year.

According to the charge sheet, Selim alias Anis Hawlader had enjoyed privileges illegally from various contractors that Delwar didn’t like. Selim also rebuked and harassed the office staff over trifle matters. As a result, office staff liked Delwar more than Selim. And that created a distance between Selim and Delwar.

In 2018, the GCC served Selim with a show cause on charges of fraudulence when the later was posted at GCC’s Konabari office. Selim thought Delwar was responsible for issuing the show cause notice.

Before that, Delwar was tasked with the responsibility of GCC’s Nagar Bhaban in 2012. At that time, Selim wanted to become the executive engineer of the GCC, but Delwar was transferred as the executive engineer. Since then, Selim became angry over Delwar, according to the charge sheet.

The charge sheet further states a quarrel broke out between Delwar and Selim over these matters on 5 May last year. As Selim became more angry, he decided to kill Delwar. Then, he hired Helal Hawlader alias Horila Ghorami and microbus driver Habibur Rahman Khan. On the morning of 11 May, Selim along with them went to Delwar’s house in Mirpur by a microbus. They brought Delwar from his house and killed him.

Regarding the charge sheet, Delwar’s wife Khodeza Akter told Prothom Alo on Wednesday, “We had said before and are saying it again. He (Delwar) was not killed only for revenge. There might have been other motives too.”

Investigating officer of the case Sheikh Mofizul Islam told Prothom Alo that the charge sheet has been submitted against three people arrested in the Delwar murder case.

Regarding the remarks of victim’s wife, the police official said, “What we have found in the investigation have been submitted to the court.”