Family awaits justice for slain journalist Turab
Today (sunday) marks two years since the murder of Sylhet journalist Abu Taher Md. Turab (ATM Turab) in the July Revolution. Many things have changed in these two years in the new fascism-free Bangladesh. But only the trial process of journalist Turab‘s murder has stalled.
Even after two years, the charge sheet of the case has not yet seen the light of day. In this long period, the only thing that has been received in the case is the arrest of two accused and the drama of investigation after investigation.
It seems that the trial process of the much-discussed journalist murder case is stuck in the throes of investigation. The journalist community of Sylhet has already held various programs demanding justice for Turab‘s murder, but the administration has not budged. There has been no progress in the case.
As a result, anger and extreme disappointment prevail among the family of the deceased and the journalist community of Sylhet.
According to eyewitnesses, on Friday, July 19, 2024, after the Friday prayers, BNP took out a procession to protest the brutal massacre of students and the public in the city‘s Bandar Bazar area. The situation was completely calm at the beginning of the procession. Like other days, journalists working in Sylhet were present there to perform their professional duties. There was an armed police presence nearby.
Suddenly, the situation heated up due to the violent behavior of the then Sylhet Metropolitan Police (SMP) Assistant Commissioner Sadeq Kausar Dastagir.
According to eyewitnesses, journalist ATM Turab became the direct target of the police‘s sudden ‘killing mission‘. 98 pellets fired by the police pierced his body. He was first transferred to Osmani Medical College Hospital in a seriously injured condition and later to Ibn Sina Hospital in Sobhani Ghat in a critical condition. The brave journalist died at 7:40 pm while undergoing treatment in the intensive care unit (ICU).
ATM Turab‘s autopsy doctor and the then head of the forensic department of Sylhet Osmani Medical College, Dr. Shamsul Islam, said that Turab‘s body had 98 bullet wounds. The bullets severely damaged his liver and lungs. Apart from this, there were also injury marks on his head, which was the main cause of his death.
Journalist Turab had tied the knot with a UK expatriate (London Koyna) just three months before the murder. All preparations for going to the UK were almost complete. But a bullet shattered all his dreams and arranged family life in an instant. His newly married wife Tania Islam became a widow just three months after their marriage. As the internet connection was shut down in the country at the time of the incident, she could not even see her husband‘s body or the scene of his last farewell. Today, Tania is constantly shedding tears while living far away.
Five days after Turab‘s death, on July 24, his elder brother Abul Ahsan Md. Azraf (Zabur) filed a complaint with the Kotwali Model Police Station accusing 8-10 policemen. However, the then police administration did not accept it as a case and tried to get away with it by registering it as a General Diary (GD).
Later, after the then government fell in the mass uprising of students and the public on August 5, Turab‘s brother filed a case again in the Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate‘s Court of Sylhet on August 19. The case named 18 people, including the former Home Minister, and made 200-250 people unknown accused. After the hearing, the court ordered that it be treated as a complaint.
The main accused in the case include the then Deputy Commissioner (Crime North) of SMP Md. Azbahar Ali Sheikh, Additional Deputy Commissioner Md. Sadeq Kausar Dastagir, Assistant Commissioner of Kotwali Police Station Mizanur Rahman, In-charge of Bandar Bazar Outpost Kallol Goswami, and the discussed Jubo League-Chhatra League and Swechchhasebak League leaders and former councilors of One Eleven.
The case was initially investigated by the Kotwali Police Station and later by the Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI), but no visible progress was made. Later, last year, the case was transferred to the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT). The ICT investigation team visited Sylhet in phases, inspected the crime scene and recorded the statements of witnesses.
On July 20 last year, two of the accused in the case – Sadeq Kausar Dastagir and Constable Ujjal Singh- were produced before the tribunal and taken on remand. The then investigating officers had assured that the chargesheet would be filed by mid-August. But even after another year, the chargesheet has not seen the light of day.
Last Wednesday (July 15), an investigation team of the International Crimes Tribunal visited Sylhet again and spoke to the plaintiffs and witnesses in the case. When asked about the progress of the investigation, the tribunal‘s investigating officer Jasim Uddin said that they visited Sylhet for the sake of the investigation and spoke to the concerned. However, he expressed his inability to comment further as the matter is under investigation.
Expressing his disappointment and anger, Abul Ahsan Mohammad Azraf (Zabur), the plaintiff in the case and Turab‘s elder brother, said, ‘My brother was shot dead in broad daylight in front of hundreds of people. There is no shortage of video footage, photos and eyewitnesses. Yet, in the name of investigation, time is being wasted for years. So far, only two accused have been arrested, while the rest of the main accused are still at large. This slowness is making us worried about getting justice.’
Martyr Turab’s distraught mother
says with tearful eyes, ‘Turab was my treasure. I could not forget my son for a moment in these two years. I am going to see the exemplary punishment of those who have emptied my chest.’
Before she dies, she wants to see the trial of his son‘s murder.
