CID to investigate murder that was confirmed with a "Sir, finished" call

Four years ago in 2021, Shahinuddin, 33, was hacked to death in broad daylight in front of his child in Section 12 of Mirpur in Dhaka. After the murder, a man had called Islami Ganotantrik Party chairman MA Awal, and said, “Sir, finished.” After examining the audio clip of this conversation, the police and Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) became sure that the voice belonged to Sumon Bepari. He is a former vice-president of the now-banned Chhatra League in Dhaka north city.    

Today, 16 May, marks fourth year of Shahinuddin’s murder. This high-profile murder case is now being further investigated by Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the police. The victim’s family members allege that some of the accused in this case, who have been released on bail, are now intimidating them with death threats.

Before CID, Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP)’s Detective Branch (DB) and Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI) have also investigated the case. They submitted separate charge sheets against 16 people including the prime accused in the case, former lawmaker MA Awal. However on both occasions, Shahinuddin’s mother Aklima Begum, the plaintiff of the case, filed a ‘naraji’ petition (no confidence motion) at the court. Lastly, the court directed the CID to carry out a further investigation into the case.

The Police Bureau of Investigation had submitted a charge sheet in September 2023. It stated that Shahinuddin was murdered at the instigation of MA Awal. In connection to a land dispute, Shahinuddin was hacked to death right in front of his six-year-old child on Ceramic Road in Section 12 of Mirpur on 16 May 2021.

The following day, Shahinuddin’s mother Aklima Begum filed a murder case with Pallabi police station, accusing 20 people including MA Awal.

Prothom Alo spoke to Shahinuddin’s elder brother Mainuddin on Thursday night. While speaking on the matter of filing the ‘naraji’ petition (no confidence motion), he said that the DB and the PBI submitted the charge sheet excluding Abdur Razzak, Shafikul, Kamrul, and Liton, named accused on the deposition.

They are followers of MA Awal and are involved in the killing. Besides, despite being involved in the killing, Awal’s accomplice Suman alias Dish Suman’s name was also dropped from the case. If these names are not included in the charge sheet they will not accept it, he added.

Mainuddin alleged that he’s receiving death threats from the 20 accused including Awal, who are currently out on bail. They are now living in constant fear. About a month ago, the accused on Awal’s orders, illegally occupied their (victim’s family) 12-katha plot of land in Burirtek of Pallabi. They have filed a written complaint in this regard with the DMP commissioner, Mainuddin said.

Sources involved in the investigation have confirmed to Prothom Alo that MA Awal is currently out on bail. When contacted over phone on Wednesday night, Awal told Prothom Alo that the the police failed to prove the widely circulated claim that he received a call saying “Sir, finished” after the murder, in the investigation. He also denied the allegation of land grabbing. Rather he accused Mainuddin’s family of occupying land of one of his projects.

Current investigating officer of the case, sub-inspector (SI) at the CID Safiul Azam told Prothom Alo that they are investigating whether the individuals named in the ‘naraji’ petition (no confidence motion) on allegation of being involved in Shahinuddin’s murder actually have any involvement in the murder or not.

This police officer mentioned that he is not aware of the allegations brought against the accused of threatening the victim’s family and illegally occupying the plaintiff’s family land. However, he assured that if anything as such has indeed taken place, the plaintiff’s family will be provided with legal support.

According to officials involved in the investigation, the government had acquired land belonging to Shahinuddin’s family and others in Alinagar, adjacent to Burirtek after 1975. However, the land remained unused for many years. Those whose land had been acquired were acquainted with MA Awal, and they had approached him for help in reclaiming the land.

Meanwhile, Awal allegedly occupied the land himself and went on to develop a housing project there. The project is run under Awal’s company named Haveli Property Development Limited. There are allegations that MA Awal had formed an ‘armed group’ of 15 to 20 people to maintain control over the disputed land. This group was reportedly led by Sumon Bepari.

Police officials stated that about 20 days before being killed, Shahinuddin had demolished a boundary wall of a plot within Awal’s residential project. Shortly after the murder, two of the accused, Manik and Monir, were killed in ‘gunfights’ with the RAB and the DB respectively.

According to police and other sources, MA Awal formed a political alliance named ‘Pragatishil Islami Jote’ in 2023. He is the chairman of this 15-party political alliance. Earlier in 2014, he was elected member of parliament from Lakshmipur-1 constituency while serving as the secretary general of the Tarikat Federation. Then he was removed from the post of Tarikat Federation secretary general ahead of the 2018 national elections. After that Awal established a new political party named the Islami Ganatantrik Party.

A man named Mohammad Taher, was the executive director of MA Awal’s company, Haveli Property Development Limited. He is listed as the second accused in Shahinuddin murder case. Speaking to Prothom Alo, Mohammad Taher said he resigned from the job three years ago after being named in the murder case. He also denied any involvement in the murder.

Apart from MA Awal, the list of accused named in the charge sheets submitted by the DB and the PBI include Mohammad Taher, 48, Md Sumon Bepari, 34, Md Murad, 24, Titu Sheikh, 32, Golam Kibria Khan, 50, Md Ibrahim Suman alias Bawa Suman, 31, Shafiqul Islam alias Shafik, 26, Rocky Talukder alias Rocky, 26, Noor Mohammad Hasan, 20, Iqbal Hossain alias Iqbal Noor, 20, Md Sharif, 21, Tarikul Islam alias Emon, 24, Tuhin Mia, 20, Harunur Rashid alias Harun, 20, and Pratik Ahmed alias Sajib, 33.