Taking a U-turn, the father-in-law of slain Narayanganj panel mayor Nazrul Islam yesterday claimed that ruling Awami League lawmaker Shamim Osman had no involvement in the seven murders.
Shahidul Islam at a press conference in the capital said the MP was a victim of dirty politics. He also claimed that Shamim had saved Nazrul from false cases and conspiracies many times. “Now the killers are threatening Osman,” he alleged.
However, at a programme in Narayanganj only three days back, he had demanded death penalty for the lawmaker when Shamim’s phone conversation with the main accused in the case, Nur Hossain, was leaked by several media. Family members of the six other deceased also attended the programme.
Following the leak that made people believe that Shamim had helped Nur to flee, the lawmaker of Narayanganj 4 from a press conference at his Gulshan residence admitted the matter.
Shahidul yesterday came to the capital from Narayanganj to the Dhaka Reporters Unity auditorium to announce that he believed Shamim had not been involved in the murders. He, however, did not inform his daughter Selina Islam about the conference.
He also did not answer any question of the reporters and left the auditorium in a hurry amid police protection.
“If you ask me any question, I will have a cardiac arrest,” he said before leaving.
During his speech, Shahidul ruled out the allegations brought against the controversial Narayanganj lawmaker.
“I think those who leaked the phone conversation were involved in the murder. If they knew where the prime accused was hiding, why did not they arrest him?” he said while reading out a written statement.
“A vested quarter is trying to implicate him. That is why he has been blamed for the murders all of a sudden. If talking with Nur is an offence, then Shamim Osman will clarify that.
“But I want to ask if this conversation had created such controversy, the leaked conversation among Mayor [Selina Hayat] Ivy’s close aide Abu Sufian, businessman Chan Mia, Selim and Nur’s bodyguard should have created more uproar. But everyone is silent about that,” he alleged.
Shahidul also urged the police to interrogate Abu Sufian who along with his aides had been the planner and financier of the seven murders.
“Shamim Osman talked with Nur Hossain many times between April 27 and 29. This does not prove that he had helped Nur. But it proves that those who leaked the conversation, helped Nur to flee,” he said.
After the recovery of the six bodies, Shahidul claimed that RAB had committed the abduction and murder in exchange for Tk6 corer given to them by Nur. Upon the allegation, three
RAB officials were sacked and later arrested.
In the meantime, a senior RAB official claimed that Nur fled to Kolkata on April 28 through Benapole border.
Shahidul yesterday claimed that on April 27, Shamim asked Nur to appear at the Rifles Club as the family members alleged Nur’s involvement. “In front us, he at first quizzed Nur about the abduction softly and then in harsh voice. But Nur denied.”
According to Shahidul, at that time Nur misbehaved with the lawmaker. “Why are you asking me the same question repeatedly? You have become lawmaker just a few months back. I have been the undeclared MP of Shiddhirganj. I could have killed Nazrul whenever I wished,” he quoted Nur as saying.
“These all prove that Shamim Osman was not involved in the incident,” Shahidul said.
Nazrul’s wife in dark
When contacted, Selina said she had seen the press conference on television. Asked if the written statement was read out on behalf of Nazrul’s family members, she said: “I do not know what I should say now. I will not make any comment now. First, I have to talk to my father [Shahidul]. “He did not inform me about the press conference.”
Other families smell Shamim’s mediation
Talking with the Dhaka Tribune last night, several members of the families of six other people said they thought Shahidul had arranged the press conference being influenced by the Awami League lawmaker and wanted to gain some benefits.
Shahidul’s such move would also harm the investigation, they feared.
Mizanur Rahman Khan Ripon, the younger brother of Moniruzzaman Swapan, said: “We think the written statement was prepared by someone else. It indicates that he is influenced by Shamim Osman.”
Slain Sirajul Islam Liton’s brother Saiful Islam echoed Ripon saying that otherwise Shahidul would not shift his stance.