Murdered FF's body exhumed after 40 yrs

A freedom fighter's body was exhumed in former Indian enclave Shalbari village in Boda upazila of Panchagarh yesterday, 40 years after his death.

Freedom fighter Azimul Haque of the village was beaten by a group of people over a land dispute and succumbed to his injuries the following day.

As the area was in the then Indian enclave, the victim's family members could not file any case in a Bangladeshi police station or court. 

When Shalbari village became part of Bangladesh after implementation of the enclave exchange deal, Md Ariful Islam, younger brother of the victim, filed a case with Panchagarh Chief Judicial Magistrate's Court on December 29, accusing 13 people.

The police station recorded the case on January 16, 2016 as an FIR.

Following a court order, a six-member team exhumed the body and collected samples in presence of Upazila Nirbahi Officer Abu Awal, Medical Officer of Panchagarh Sadar Hospital SIM Rajiul Karim, Officer-in-Charge of Boda Police Station Abul Kalam Azad and IO Din Mohammad.    

Ariful Islam told this correspondent over cellphone that he filed a case with the Cognisance Court-3. "I want exemplary punishment of the killers of my brother," he added.