The Counter-Terrorism and Transnational Crime (CTTC) unit of Police has prepared a charge-sheet accusing seven people over the murder of US-based Bangladeshi blogger Avijit Roy.
The investigators said one person involved in the murder case was killed in a “gunfight” with police two years ago. In addition, the names of three people were not added to the charge sheet as no other details about them could be found.
CTTC Deputy Commissioner Mohibul Islam Khan said: “The investigation process is almost at an end, and members of Ansar al-Islam are involved in the murder. A total 10-12 people’s involvement was found during the investigation.
“The charge-sheet will be submitted to the court soon. Some of the names could not be added in the charge-sheet as their identities could not be confirmed.”
A total of 12 men were arrested in connection with the case. They are Shafiul Islam Farabi, Abul Bashar, Julhaj Biswas, Towhidur Rahman, Sadek Ali Mithu, Aminul Mallik, Arafat Hossain, Abu Siddique Sohel, Mozammel Hossain Saimon, Yasin and Mannan Rahi alias Yahya. The remaining died in a “gunfight” in 2016.
During the investigation, Farabi, Arafat, Sohel and Saimon’s involvement in the murder was confirmed. Arafat, Sohel and Saimon also gave confession statements before a court.
According to the investigators, the planning and coordination of Avijit’s killing was led by a sacked army major Syed Ziaul Haque. He has long been absconding, and is believed to be leading the military branch of Ansar al-Islam
On February 26, 2015, blogger Avijit Roy was murdered near the Teacher-Student Centre (TSC) of Dhaka University by then-unidentified assailants. His wife Rafida Ahmed Bonya was severely wounded in the attack.
