Taqi murder charges not filed yet

It has been over one and a half years since Taqi was killed and one year since the Rapid Action Battalion claimed to have finished the investigation and presented the draft charges before media. But the final charge sheet has not been filed yet, holding back the trial.

The murder of the 17-year-old high school graduate has been much discussed for the alleged involvement of family members of Narayanganj's Awami League muscleman Shamim Osman.

Speakers at a press conference, organised by Santras Nirmul Taqi Mancha at the capital's Jatiya Press Club yesterday, on the "state's apathy and the reality of Narayanganj after Taqi's murder" questioned the delay. 

Tanwir Mohammed Taqi, the son of cultural activist Rafiur Rabbi of Narayanganj, was abducted and killed on March 6, 2013, according to Rab.

In June that year, Rab-11 arrested some "aides" of the Osman family and raided Ajmeri Osman's office in Narayanganj city in August 2013, and found evidence of torture there.

Later in March 2014, Rab's then additional inspector general Col Ziaul Ahsan told media that they found involvement of Ajmeri and his 11 associates in Taqi's murder. Ajmeri is the son of ex-Jatiya Party MP Nasim Osman and nephew of ruling party MP Shamim Osman.

In a statement, Halim Azad, journalist and member secretary of the Mancha, yesterday said Rab had cited Rabbi's support for Narayanganj Mayor Selina Hayat Ivy and protest against Osman kin's alleged extortion in the transport sector of the city as the motive behind the murder.

He added that in their confessional statements before court, Ajmeri's two associates Yusuf Hossain Liton and Sultan Shawkat Bhromor described the murder and admitted Ajmeri's involvement.

Two days after the killing, Rabbi sued unnamed people but later filed a complaint with police, accusing seven persons, including Shamim Osman and his son Ayon Osman. Till date, five suspects had been arrested, but four of them have obtained bail from the High Court.

Azad said Bhromor had already fled the country.

Asked about the probe, incumbent Commanding Officer of Rab-11 Lt Col Anwar Latif Khan said, "The investigation is still going on, and before its completion, we can't confirm when the charge sheet will be filed."

Regarding Col Ahsan's presentation of the draft charges, he said, "You should ask him about that."   

Taqi's father said they had differed with Rab's probe findings revealed in March 2014, which could not establish Shamim Osman and his son's link with the killing.

He alleged that the Prime Minister's Office was creating barriers in fair investigation and submission of the charges.

Referring to PM's support for the Osman family, Jahangirnagar University's Prof Anu Muhammad and cultural personality Kamal Lohani expressed concern about fair investigation, while Prof Emeritus Serajul Islam Choudhury said, "We will not get any protection from a state, which itself commits crimes and protects perpetrators."