The Rapid Action Battalion is likely to press charges against 10 people this month in connection with the murder of Jubo League leader Milky.
Out of those 10, six reportedly have given confessional statements before the court dealing with the case, while four of them have been absconding.
Reazul Haque Khan Milky, 43, organising secretary of the Dhaka city (south) unit Jubo League – ruling Awami League’s student front – was gunned down in the capital’s Gulshan on July 30 last year.
The murder was caught on closed circuit television (CCTV) camera installed at the entrance of a shopping mall in Gulshan.
Footage showed a man in white punjabi and white Islamic cap shot at Milky from close range. Some other men were guarding the man in white punjabi. Hours after the murder, RAB arrested one Jahid Siddique Tarek from a hospital in Uttara claiming that he was the man in white punjabi.
RAB also said one of the man guarding Tarek was Shakhawat Hossain Chanchal, Milky’s counterpart from the organisation’s Dhaka city (south) unit.
However, Tarek and one of his cohorts were killed in a “shootout” in the capital. RAB said unidentified criminals attacked them with firearms when they were taking Tarek and his associate to the Gulshan police station a day later.
RAB, who later took over the case from Gulshan police, also claimed that Tarek had admitted the killing before he was killed in the “shootout.”
The day Milky was killed, his younger brother Maj Rashedul Islam Khan filed a murder case with Gulshan police station, accusing Tarek, Jahedul Islam Tipu, Chanchal, Arif and seven others.
RAB sources said Chanchal would be shown as the main planner of the murder in the charge sheet. Intelligence reports suggest that Chanchal flew to the USA immediately after the murder.
“In primary investigation, we learnt that a number of leaders [of the Chhatra League] were involved with the murder. Some knew that the murder was going to take place,” said a RAB official, seeking anonymity.
During investigation, RAB has found that among other things, Milky, Tipu and Arif all local Jubo League leaders from the capital’s Motijheel area had been fighting to get party tickets to contest for ward councillor posts in the city corporation election.
Ironically, because of various administrative and legal reasons, the government has not managed to finalise a date for the election in more than five years.
None of the other reasons for which those three had become bitter enemies were even remotely connected with the operations of Jubo League. Establishing supremacy in Motijheel area, feud over grabbing land and securing government tenders, cable connection business in AGB Colony, allotment of shops in the local markets were some of them.
Sources said a total of 20 people were primarily suspected. Among them, RAB arrested 13 at different times for questioning. Others were also questioned who would be later shown as witnesses.
“Two motorbikes and two cars were used in the killing. Hasan and Sohel were driving the motorbikes. After the incident, Chanchal’s car was seized from in front of Fortune Hospital in the capital,” a RAB official said.
“Chanchal fled after the incident. He was seen in a Facebook post taking part in a press conference. We assume that two or more of the suspects may have also fled the country,” he said.
Kismat Hayat, commanding officer of RAB 1, told the Dhaka Tribune that two more weeks might be needed for submitting the charge sheet, which might see some last minute changes.
