It is 32 years, still the family of murdered freedom fighter and Awami League MP for the Natore 4 constituency Rafiq Sarker is still crying for justice.
Rafiq, 41, was murdered in front of Jonail High School while he was returning home in a motorcycle on the night of April 6, 1982.
Criminals intercepted and stabbed him and left the scene only after making it sure that he had died. His companion Prodip was injured.
His nephew (sister's son) Sufiyan lodged a case with Baraigram police station against some unknown persons the next day.
Then officer-in-charge Piyar Ali pressed charges against nine BNP and its youth wing Juba Dal men, including then Baraigram Jubo Dal president Sadek Ali.
>>Documents of the case go missing<<
Trial of any case would then be held at Rajshahi Judges' Court before Natore was declared as a district.
The murdered MP's son Advocate Arif, also convener of the district Swechchhasebak League, said 'After the declaration of Natore as district, the case documents were reportedly sent to Natore Judges' Court.
Since then, the case documents could not be found.”
He said he had heard from people around him that the accused said the then judge had cancelled the case. However, his family has never been informed of the repeal of the case, he added.
Advocate Arif said he tried to find out the case documents in 1999 after joining Natore Judges' Court as a lawyer, but found no trace of any document related to it.
Public Prosecutor Sirajul Islam, also vice president of the district Awami League unit, also said there was no documents pertaining to the case at the court.
>>Government urged for taking steps about the case<<
The family of the murdered MP urged the government for taking steps in restarting the case ensuring justice in the murder case.
The late MP's son said: “We can get justice in this case only after the government take steps about it. Otherwise, it is not possible for us alone.”
>>PM's assurance for justice yet to be met<<
He recalled that he had met Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina during the immediate past term of this government when she had assured him of taking steps in this regard, not steps were yet in sight.
Former state minister for youth and sports, also district Awami League's acting general secretary Ahad Ali Sarker and President Advocate Sajedur Rahman Khan also called upon the government to take steps about the case.
They said it is the state's duty now to start the case again and ensure the exemplary punishment of those who had murdered him. It is unfortunate that his family has not got justice even in 32 years.
>>Profile of late MP Rafiq Sarker<<
Rafiq, who also served as general secretary of Natore district unit Awami League and president of Baraigram upazila unit Awami League, is survived by three sons and two daughters.
Bangabandhu had himselft inducted him into politics.
Late MP Rafiq had refused a gold medal from then Pakistani ruler Ayub Khan as a first class first in LLB, saying that he could not take any prize from a person who could implicate Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in the Agartola “conspiracy” case.
He was then called up by Bangaganandhu and inducted into politics. He became MP after winning from Natore 4 constituency in the country's first parliamentary elections in 1973.
