Mahbub Piyal, Faridpur 

Accused individuals in the murder case of BNP activist Pannu Fakir (38) in Saltha, Faridpur, have allegedly begun threatening the plaintiff and key witnesses after securing bail. Distraught by the escalating intimidation, the deceased’s wife arrived at the court premises carrying her three-month-old infant, desperately seeking the re-arrest of the suspects and justice for her husband.

On Tuesday afternoon, relatives and local residents staged a human chain demonstration on the Faridpur Judge Court premises. Seeing the emotional grief of the victim's wife, several bystanders at the court joined the demonstration in solidarity.

According to case details, Pannu Fakir, a resident of Kumarkanda village under Yadunandi Union in Saltha Upazila, was brutally hacked to death by rivals on the night of June 25 while returning home. Police recovered his body the following morning from the roadside along the Yadunandi route, with the tendons in his arms and legs severed. Following the incident, the victim’s eldest son, Roman Fakir, filed a murder case at Saltha Police Station, naming 14 specific individuals alongside 10 unidentified suspects.

The victim's family alleged that prime suspect Siddique Matubbar, upon releasing on bail, immediately began issuing death threats to force the withdrawal of the case. He has also been reportedly intimidating witnesses. Furthermore, family members expressed frustration over police inaction regarding other suspects who are openly roaming the locality.

"The police initially arrested only one suspect, while others obtained interim bail from the High Court," said Rupa Begum, the victim's wife. "When nine of the accused applied for bail extension in the lower court after their interim bail expired, the court sent seven to prison but granted bail to two, including the main culprit, Siddique Matubbar."

She added, "Since getting bail, Siddique Matubbar has been summoning witnesses, coercing them into signing blank papers to prevent them from testifying, and directly threatening me to drop the case. The remaining suspects are moving around freely in the area without any police action." She demanded the immediate arrest of all involved parties and a swift trial.

Addressing the allegations, Inspector (Investigation) Indrajit Roy of Saltha Police Station, who is leading the investigation, stated, "Police arrested one suspect initially, while the others secured bail from the High Court. Before their bail expired, nine applied for bail in the lower court; seven were denied and sent to jail, while two were granted bail. The remaining five suspects obtained a fresh six-week interim bail from the High Court.