The law enforcement has found complicity of a former member of parliament in the murder that took place on Sunday on Road 39, Pallabi Block D of the capital city. Former MP of the Lakshmipur-1 seat, MA Awal, hired persons to kill a certain Shahinuddin in order to take over his land. The man was killed in front of his seven-year-old son.
According to news reports, the former MP had tried to take over 10 acres of land belonging to Shahinuddin for his own housing project, Haveli Properties. When Shahinuddin was unwilling to relinquish the land, an extortion case was filed against him. Shahinuddin was even jailed in that case. He was recently released on bail, but then this killing took place. After he was killed, the killers called the former MP over phone and said, “Sir, finished!”
This murder has raised several questions. How could a former MP have the courage to openly hire killers to murder someone? How could he take over government acquired land and privately owned land to build up his housing project? What was the law enforcement doing about it?
The government had acquired land in Buritek of Pallabi quite some time back. The former MP had said he would retrieve the land, but instead used it for his own housing project. He even took over privately own land for the purpose. He built up a criminal gang to keep control of the land. This gang would carry out extortion, mugging, controlling rickshaws, drugs, gambling and other criminal activities in the area. According to news reports, these criminals were on the former MP’s payroll.
While these criminals were active in this residential area of the capital city, members of the law enforcement agencies took no action against them. Each of these criminals faces several cases at the Pallabi police station, accused of various crimes including extortion and murder. Had the police taken action against them, perhaps Shahinuddin would not have lost his life in such a manner.
The law enforcement did well in immediately arresting the killers of Shahinuddin. Former MP MA Awal has been taken on remand for interrogation.
We note with grave concern that the main accused in the Shahinuddin killing, Manik, was killed in a ‘gunfight’ while in police custody. When an accused is arrested, it is for the court to decide whether he is guilty or not. A criminal is punished by means of trial, not gunfight. Was this gunfight staged to protect anyone?
Meanwhile, one of the accused has given his confessional statement. There are eye witnesses of the murder too. It will not be difficult to speedily investigate the case with such sources. All those involved in the Shahinuddin murder must be tried under the law. Legal action must be taken against those who used the former MP’s influence and clout to carryout killing, land grabbing and other crimes.