Sayedee, 103 others charged for RU student Faruk murder

Jamaat-e-Islami leader Delwar Hossain Sayedee, who was awarded imprisonment until death for crimes against humanity, was charged in a court today for abetting the murder of Rajshahi University student Faruk Hossain in 2010.

Other than Sayedee, the court of Additional Metropolitan Sessions Judge Enayet Kabir Sarker framed charges of murder and abetting murder against more 103 leaders and activists of Jamaat-e-Islami and Islami Chhatra Shibir in the murder case, reports our Rajshahi correspondent.

Public Prosecutor Siraji Shawkat Salehin revealed the information while talking to journalists after the charge framing.

He said Sayedee was taken to Rajshahi Central Jail from Kashimpur Jail for appearing before the court.

According to the charges, the court official said, Sayedee visited Rajshahi on February 7 in 2010, two days before Faruk murder, along with two other top Jamaat leaders -- Matiur Rahman Nijami and Ali Ahsan Mojaheed.

During their visit, they held a secret meeting with leaders of Islami Chhatra Shibir and directed them to take control of Rajshahi University campus and its dormitories.

Shibir leaders used to control the RU campus since the BNP-era before leaders of Bangladesh Chhatra League established their dominance after Awami League’s win in the 2006 general elections.

Acting on their directives, the Jamaat and Shibir leaders launched coordinated attacks on BCL leaders and activists at different dormitories of the campus on the night of February 9.

Several hundred Jamaat-Shibir men took part in the attacks which came in retaliation for the murder of former RU Shibir leader Sharifuzzaman Nomani on March 13, 2009 by BCL men, the court official said quoting the charges.

In the attacks, Faruk Hossain, a mathematics student of Rajshahi University and an activist of the university unit of BCL, was killed.

His body was dragged out of his residence at Shah Makhdum Hall leaving a trail of blood and dumped into a sewer.

At least 100 others were injured and four of them were maimed with their tendons cut by Shibir men.

Former RU BCL leader Majedul Islam Apu filed a murder case accusing 35 persons and hundred others with Motihar Police Station. Later, Inspector Zillur Rahman of the police station filed charge sheet in the case accusing 110 persons including Nizami, Mozaheed and Sayedee.

The court exempted six of the accused persons for their deaths. Among the six, Matiur Rahman Nizami and Ali Ahsan Mozaheed were executed following their conviction in International Crimes Tribunal, Shaheen and Shahadat were killed in “gunfights” with law enforcers while Ataur Rahman and Abu Samah died of illness.

Three arrested Shibir leaders gave confessions in the case revealing involvement of the top Jamaat leaders for the murder, the court official said.

Abu M Selim, a lawyer of the defendants, said the charge framing was politically motivated.

The number of charged accused is “abnormally” higher than the FIR-named accused persons in the case which is unusual, he added.