Prime suspect still at large

Publication Date: 19 May, 2016
Media: The Independent

Original Link:  AL infighting resurfaces in Ctg

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Even though almost two months have passed since Nasim Ahmed Sohel, an MBA student of Premier University (PU), Chittagong, was stabbed to death on the WASA circle campus, police are yet to arrest Md Ibrahim Ahmed Sohan, the prime suspect in the case.

Sergeant Abu Taher, the victim’s father, alleged that except the five who were arrested on the day of the incident, police are yet to nab anyone accused in the case.

Alleging that Aziz Ahmed, the officer-in-charge (OC) of Chawkbazar Police station, did not take his call, Taher said: “Police didn’t even take my call. They didn’t conduct any raid to arrest the murderer. My son was a victim of politics. I don’t know how a killer, who has already been identified, is still at large.”

“I haven’t received any help from the administration. The administration is in collusion with the accused. It’s clear that there is some kind of negligence of duty in arresting the murderer of my son,” he also said.

“I would seek the Prime Minister’s intervention to get justice,” he added. On March 29, Nasim Ahmed Sohel, 25, a member of the Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) city unit, was killed in a clash between two groups of the BCL city unit over arranging a farewell programme for the 23rd Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) batch. The two groups were known to be followers of AJM Nasir Uddin, general secretary of the city unit Awami League.

The university CCTV footage showed that Md Ibrahim Ahmed Sohan, an MBA student, had stabbed Sohel to death during a scuffle.  The victim’s father filed a case with Chawkbazar Police Station, accusing 13 named and 20-25 unnamed PU students on March 30.  The university authorities expelled 23 students, including Sohan, from the university on April 5.

A faction of the BCL demanded the removal of Aziz Ahmed, the OC, for failing to arrest the prime suspect and others involved in the case. They also held demonstrations demanding the OC’s removal and the arrest of the killers.

“We doubt the OC’s role. We hasn’t arrested the killers even two months after the incident,” said Yeasin Arafat, former assistant secretary of the BCL city unit.

“We’ve approached the Chittagong Metropolitan Police (CMP) commissioner to nab the killers. Next week we’lll launch a week-long movement. We demand the removal of the OC. We’ll also submit a memorandum to the deputy commissioner of Chittagong and police commissioner,” he told The Independent on Monday.

Meanwhile, Aziz Ahmed denied negligence of duty. He said he would not disclose anything for the sake of investigation. “We’ve conducted raids at many places to nab the prime accused and others. Efforts are on to catch the accused,” said the OC.

“Do those that accusing us of inaction know the whereabouts of the prime suspect? If so, then tell them to reveal it to us. We’ll arrest the accused immediately,” he added.

President of the city unit Awami League, ABM Mohiuddin Chowdhury, and Chittagong City Corporation mayor AJM Nasir Uddin expressed dismay over the failure of the law enforcers to arrest the culprits. ABM Mohiuddin Chowdhury demanded that the case be investigated by the DB (Detective Brach) police.

Devdas Bhattacharya, additional police commissioner (Crime & Operation) of the Chittagong Metropolitan Police, told The Independent: “We’ve no problem in transferring the case to the DB.  There’s no negligence of duty. But it’s true that there has been no progress in the probe.”
“We’ll take appropriate action if we get the complaint of non- cooperation against the OC,” he said.