Why was Sohel Chowdhury murdered?

Film star Sohel Chowdhury's strong stance against anti-social activities in Trumps Club in Banani and his subsequent feud with businessman Aziz Mohammad Bhai led to his murder 24 years ago, according to the charge sheet of the case filed after the murder.

The sensational murder in front of the club on December 18, 1998, came to fore again on Tuesday after Rab arrested Ashish Rai Choudhury, one of the accused.

After investigation, the Detective Branch of police pressed charges against Aziz, the club's co-owners Ashish and Afaqul Islam also known as Bunty Islam, and suspects Sanjidul Hasan Emon and Harun Ur Rashid also known as Leather Liton and four others on July 30, 1999.

The charge sheet mentioned that Bunty and Ashish started anti-social activities -- alcohol consumption and inappropriate dance shows -- in the club which was near Banani Jame Masjid.

"Sohel Chowdhury along with people of the mosque management committee tried to shut the club down, but failed," said the charge sheet.

Sohel on July 24, 1998, had a brawl with Aziz. He also had tussles with Bunty and Ashish at the club.

The charge sheet further said Bunty and Ashish had threatened Sohel Chowdhury.

On the day he was killed, Sohel wanted to get into the club but he was barred. Around 3:00am, he tried again when the accused and their hitmen killed Sohel, the charge sheet read.

Khandaker Al Moin, Rab's legal and media wing director, at a press conference yesterday, claimed that the club became a den for criminals. Aziz, a relative of Bunty, frequented there and became friends with Ashish, said the Rab officer.

He claimed that Sohel the mosque management committee's moves became obstacles for Aziz.

After the July 24 brawl with Sohel, Aziz asked Bunty and Ashish to take revenge, he added.

Aziz, Bunty, and Ashish hired club regular and listed criminal Emon to kill Sohel. Emon then killed Sohel, Rab said.

Rab said Ashish, who had never been arrested in the case, planned to flee to Canada after a Dhaka court recently issued an arrest warrant for him.

Ashish, also a Canadian, wanted to fly to Canada today but deferred his flight to April 22.

Replying to a query, Moin said Rab arrested him with 27 bottles of liquor after receiving a copy of the arrest warrant issued against him and five others on February 27.

The other five are in different countries, including the US, Thailand, and Canada, Rab said, quoting Ashish.

The High Court in 2003 stayed the proceedings of the trial. The stay was withdrawn on February 27 this year.

The accused was working for a reputed organisation and had worked for several other firms, including at two airlines, he added.

Replying to another query, the Rab official said Ashish told Rab that he was in Canada for four-five years after the murder; he travelled to the UAE, the US and Thailand and met other accused in the case there.

Of the nine accused, only Tariq Sayeed Mamun is now in jail. Among the other accused, Adnan Siddiqui and Faruque Abbasi are now on bail while Aziz, Bunty, Emon, businessman Selim Khan and Leather Liton are on the run.

A Dhaka court yesterday asked the inspector general of police to produce evidence seized by law enforcers in the case and also asked the registrar general of the Supreme Court to produce the case docket by April 17 following two petitions filed by the prosecutors.