Court Correspondent

A court in Dhaka on Thursday started recording the deposition of prosecution witnesses in a case filed over the murder of Awami League leader Jahidul Islam Tipu and college student Samia Afrin Preeti at Shahjahanpur on March 24, 2022.

The plaintiff of the case and victim Tipu's wife Farhana Islam Dolly, DSCC reserved councilor, submitted her deposition before Dhaka Special Judge Court-3 Judge Ali Hossain.

After the end of her deposition, the defence started cross-examining her. At the end of today’s proceedings, the judge adjourned the hearing till July 18 as the defence failed to conclude their quizzing today.The court on April 29 framed charges against 33 accused including the counsellor of ward-10 of Dhaka South City Corporation, Maruf Ahmed Monsur and Dhaka South city unit Awami League organising secretary Ashraf Talukder.

The other accused include Khairul Islam, Juber Alam Khan Robin, Sohel Shahriar, Maruf Reza Sagar, fugitive top terror Jisan and Freedom Manik, Kamruzzaman Bablu, Kailla Palash, Aminul, Sohel, Sumon Shikder Musa, Soikat, Shikder Akash, Imran Hossain Jitu, Molla Shamim, Rakib, BD Babu, Omar Faruk, Killer Nasir, Rifat, Ishtiak Hossain Jitu, Mahbubur Rahman Titu, Hafiz, Masum, Rana Molla and Nasiruddin Manik.

Tipu, former general secretary of Motijheel thana Awami League, was on his microbus destined for his Khilgaon home on the night of March 24, 2022. He was shot dead by a masked assailant near Bata showroom adjacent to Islami Bank in the capital's Shahjahanpur area at about 10:15pm after his vehicle got stuck in traffic jam.

Rickshaw passenger 19-year-old Samia Afran Preeti was also got shot by stray bullets and died on the spot. Tipu's driver Munna got shot on his hand in the incident.

Being the plaintiff, Tipu's wife Farhana Islam Dolly filed a murder case with Shahjahanpur Police Station where she made unidentified people accused.