Country Today Desk

Masterminds behind the Tipu murder are still roaming freely, giving a hoot to law enforcement agencies, the victim’s family members have alleged.

They have also alleged that the suspects who have been arrested are not the masterminds.

So far, 27 suspects have been arrested in connection with the killing of Awami League leader Jahidul Islam Tipu in Motijheel area of the capital on March 24.
“Those who are collecting extortion from the footpaths in the Motijheel Ideal School area, Kamalapur bus stand and other parts of Motijheel had hand behind the Tipu murder.”

Farhana Islam Dolly, wife of Tipu, told this while talking to the Daily Sun on Saturday over investigation into the case filed over her husband killing and recurrent life threats to her and her family members.

But, after arresting 27 suspects over the murder, law enforcers told journalists in several press briefings that underworld criminals —Jisan and Freedom Manik — Musa, Kana Faruk, Nasir, Akash, Molla Shamim and some others were the planners and executers of the murder mission.

Dolly said, “Most wanted criminals Jisan and Freedom Manik had no enmity with my husband. The criminals kill somebody for money. Who are the persons giving them money for her husband murder?”

Dolly, a councillor (reserved) of ward-1, 11 and 12 under Dhaka South City Corporation, suspected the financers were the patrons behind the killing.

When she was drawn to the press briefing of RAB in April that Omar Faruk, Abu Saleh Shikder alias Sooter Saleh, Nasir Uddin alias Killer Nasir and Morshedul Alam alias Kailla Palash gave Tk 15 lakh to Musa to kill her husband and Musa managed the underworld criminals to kill Tipu.
Dolly said, “Faruk might give some money, but Saleh, Nasir and Palash had no ability to give money.”

She thought Jisan, Manik and Musa might not be the prime suspects; they worked after being financed and the persons in Bangladesh, who thought her husband a thorn on their way, gave the finance.

Dolly said she with her three children was living in a fear of reprisal as she was given life-threats four times.

The latest one was given on August 20. The man, who threatened her over phone, introduced himself as Ashik and said she must ensure to drop the names of Maruf Reza Sagar, Mansur, Sohel Shahriar and Ashraf Talukder from the police investigation report to be submitted by DB Motijheel Division on October 17.

The caller warned of terrible consequence unless she would act upon him.

Dolly filed a general diary with Shajahanpur Police Station on August 20.

She said their two children stopped going to their educational institutions from the day of threat.

She said that earlier she was threatened three more times.

She then also lodged a general diary with the police station.

The councillor said, “I am suspecting that the patrons behind my husband murder are giving me threats.”

Officer-in-charge (OC) of Shajahanpur Police Station is on leave.

Thakur Das, inspector (investigation) of the police station, who is maintaining the duty of OC, told the Daily Sun that the GD which was lodged earlier was sent to DB for tracing the persons giving threats, but he was unaware of the GD lodged on August 20.

When contacted, Rifat Rahman Shamim, deputy commissioner (DB Motijheel Division) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP), made no comments on the issues.

On the night of March 24, Tipu, 55, former general secretary of Motijheel AL, was returning home in his microbus from his restaurant in Motijheel AGB Colony area. The vehicle was at a traffic light in Shahjahanpur when attackers arrived at the scene on a motorcycle and opened fire around 10:20pm.

College student Prity, 22, who happened to be in a rickshaw next to the vehicle, also got shot. The two were declared dead after being taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital.