(Media Watch/IFEX) – The following is a 21 May 2001 Media Watch press release: Sixteen persons were charged yesterday for killing journalist Shamsur Rahman, more then ten months after the journalist’s dramatic murder in a terrorist attack. CID police submitted the long-awaited charges against 16 persons at the court of first class magistrate Jahanara Begum […]
(Media Watch/IFEX) – The following is a 21 May 2001 Media Watch press release:
Sixteen persons were charged yesterday for killing journalist Shamsur Rahman, more then ten months after the journalist’s dramatic murder in a terrorist attack. CID police submitted the long-awaited charges against 16 persons at the court of first class magistrate Jahanara Begum in Jessore, where the journalist was killed at his office
desk.
Of the accused, eight were arrested by police and as many others are absconding. Journalist Shamsur Rahman, a special correspondent of the Daily janakantha, was gunned down in his office on July 16 of last year. The Investigation Office (IO) overseeing the case said 26 persons, including a journalist, five policemen, two magistrates and a physician, have been shown as prosecution witnesses in the case. 22 evidences were deposited to court custody along with the charges sheet to probe the case during trial.
The unfortunate thing is that among the accused, there are five journalists, including Jessore bureau chief of the daily Inquilab Mizanur Rahman Tota. Other than Tota, those who were arrested by police are: Abdus Sukur, Jahangir Hossain, Anarul, Mizanur Rahaman, Zahir Uddinn Badsah, Benzin Khan and Asraful Islam Russel.
The absconders are: Selim, alias Pagla Selim, Kachhar Selim, Nova Khondoker, Fakir Shawkat, Milon Rahman, former commissioner of Khulna City Corporation Asaduzzaman Litu, Mushfiqur Rahman Hirok, and the president of the Courtchandpur Upazilla ruling party, Nasiruddin Kalu.
Selena Akhter Lucky, wife of the slain journalist, urged the governmet to try the killers of her husband speedily. If necessary, a special tribunal can be constituted to try the killers of journalist Shamsur Rahman, she added.
