At a commemoration programme on Saturday, speakers demanded proper investigation into the killing of Md Nurul Islam, president of Ganatantri Party and Bangladesh Trade Union Centre, and exemplary punishment of the people behind the incident.
Nurul Islam and his son Islam Tamohar were killed in a fire that broke out at their Lalmatia residence on December 3, 2008, just 26 days before the national elections. Tamohar died in the fire while Nurul Islam died the following day at the Combined Military Hospital in Dhaka.
He was nominated from the ruling grand alliance for contesting the election from Noakhali 1 constituency.
Speakers at the event criticised the role of law enforcement agencies for their failure in uncovering the reasons and the culprits behind the incident.
Civil society platform Nagarik Committee organised the programme to mark Nurul Islam’s birth anniversary in front of the Swaparjita Swadhinata at Dhaka University.
Shahjalal University of Science and Technology University teacher Prof Muhammad Zafar Iqbal said: “Nurul Islam was an honest political leader, the likes of whom may never emerge again.
“This was not an ordinary [fire] accident, it was a killing. We are expecting that the investigation team will soon find the culprits behind the political killing whether they are influential people or not,” he said.
Ganatantri Party General Secretary Nurur Rahman Selim said: “We have rejected the two probe reports and currently, Rab is conducting a third investigation. It is possible to find the culprits by investigating who filed the loan defaulter case against the leader and by conducting an inquiry into the call list of Nurul Islam.”
He demanded proper investigation and punishment of the culprits as soon as possible. “If the investigation committee needs any information or cooperation, we are always ready to support them,” he added.
Dhaka University Vice-Chancellor AAMS Arefin Siddique expected immediate and proper investigation and punishment of the culprits.
Bangladesh Mahila Parishad President Ayesha Khanam requested the law enforcement agencies and state lawyers to take strong action to solve the issue. She said: “We are ready to contribute anything in order to solve the legal complexities of the case, if any. The solution of the case lies with legal procedures.”
Hazaribagh Tannery Workers’ Union President Abul Kalam Azad said: “Though before the killing, Nurul Islam said he was under death threat from fundamentalists and election rivals, the law enforcement agencies have not arrested any person in this connection yet.”
Nurul Islam’s wife poet Rubi Rahman MP, daily Sangbad acting editor Moniruzzaman, Ganatantri Party presidium member Shahadat Hossain and Centre for Policy Dialogue Executive Director Mustafizur Rahman also spoke on the occasion, while noted sculptor Ferdousi Priyobhashini also attended.
The programme concluded with a mime presentation by Dhaka University Mime Action.