With more days passing, the question about Awami League lawmaker Nizam Uddin Hazari’s involvement in the gruesome murder of Fulgazi upazila chairman Ekramul Haque is coming to the fore.
For the past seven days the whole Feni town has been gossiping about Nizam’s role in the plot to kill Ekram.
About a month back from the day of murder, Nizam, also the district Awami League general secretary, had told some of his associates that Ekram deserved slapping for his arrogant behaviour.
Talking to this correspondent, Forkan Chowdhury, treasurer of the district Awami League, said: “Nizam bhai was not involved in the murder but it might have been in his knowledge that Ekram would be assaulted for his insolent attitudes.
“The lawmaker told us that he would teach Ekram a good lesson to keep a tight rein on him.”
Even family members of slain Fulgazi chairman Ekram dropped quite a few hints about Nizam’s involvement in the macabre incident.
Rezaul Haque Jashim, elder brother of Ekram and plaintiff of the murder case, told the Dhaka Tribune that Ekram was Nizam’s aide and they used to deal almost all political issues together in the district.
Asked if he suspected Nizam, Jashim evaded the question, saying: “As they used to do politics together and contacted each other very often, it is very natural they were obviously aware of each other’s good and bad aspects.”
On May 20, a group of assailants waylaid Ekram on the Academy Road of Fulgazi in broad daylight and killed him.
Investigation also pretty clearly suggest that Nizam was aware of the incident beforehand.
Abid, one of the prime accused in the case, in his confessional statement to the court said: “soon after the murder he contacted Nizam and district Awami League Joint Secretary Jahangir Adel over mobile phone about the incident.”
A source in the district unit of the ruling party said Abid had given the statement to the court as had been suggested by Nizam. Abid’s mother and district Mohila Awami League Secretary Layla Jesmin Boromoni met Nizam at his Masterpara residence for a couple of times.
According to Nizam’s suggestion Abid gave the statement just a day after he was taken on an eight-day police remand. Not only that rumour is also rife that Councillor Shiblu surrendered to police on Nizam’s instruction after the former met the latter at his residence soon after the media ran a report on Shiblu’s involvement in the murder.
Moreover, investigators too found evidence of Nizam’s complicity from his phone record. Nizam contacted the killers over his cell phone several times before and after the killing.
According to investigators, Nizam contacted Councillor Abdullah Mahmud Shiblu, District Awami League Joint Secretary Jahangir Kabir Adel and Jubo League Leader Jiaul Alam Mister just a day before and on the day of killing. Jihad Chowdury, the main planner of the killing also talked to Nizam over phone to ask for his help.
The investigators also came to know from the interrogation of suspected killers that Jihad persuaded Abid, Shiblu and others into the murder by assuring them of the help of “Boro Bhai” (Nizam).
Sources in the Awami League said although Nizam and Ekram had been on good terms the relation began to get soured last year soon after Ekram took control of the diabetic hospital of Feni.
It even turned for the worse when Ekram announced to run in the national election from Feni-1 challenging the Nizam’s authority in the district.
Contacted, Nizam Uddin Hazari, lawmaker from the Feni-2 constituency, yesterday once again denied his complicity in the murder. “If anyone can prove it police should arrest me too.”
Asked about his conversation with the identified killers over cell phone Nizam said: “I am the secretary of the district Awami League and involved in politics of Feni. Other people too made phone calls to me on that day and talking to someone over phone does not mean and prove that I was involved.”
Paritosh Gosh, superintended of Police of Feni, said they had had some vital information on the murder. “No one involved in the murder will be spared.”
