Charge framed against 33, hearing May 21

Court Correspondent :
A Dhaka court yesterday framed charges against 33 people in the murder case of Awami League leader Jahidul Islam Tipu and college student Samia Afran Preeti in the capital’s Shahjahanpur area.

Of the 33 people, nine are members of the ruling Awami League and its associate bodies.

Twenty-six people, who were present at the court on Monday, pleaded not guilty after Judge Muhammad Ali Hussain of the Special Judge Court-3 of Dhaka read out the charges to them.

On June 5 last year, Detective Branch (DB) Inspector and Investigation Officer of the case Yasin Sikder filed a charge sheet against 33 accused including Dhaka City South Awami League Organizing Secretary Ashraf Talukder.

Accepting the charge sheet on July 20, the court issued arrest warrant against nine accused including Maruf.

Tipu, former General Secretary of Motijheel Thana Awami League, was on his microbus destined for his Khilgaon home on the night of March 24, 2022.

He was shot dead by a masked assailant near Bata showroom adjacent to Islami Bank in the capital’s Shahjahanpur area at about 10:15pm after his vehicle got stuck in traffic jam.

Rickshaw passenger 19-year-old Samia Afran Preeti was also shot by stray bullets and died on the spot. Tipu’s driver Munna was shot on his hand in the incident.

Being the complainant, Tipu’s wife DSCC reserved Councilor Farhana Islam Dolly filed the murder case with Shahjahanpur Police Station where she made unidentified people accused.