A police investigation report submitted to the Speedy Trial Tribunal-4 on Monday claimed that the allegation of the assault and threat of murder on two Jahangirnagar University (JU) students by six of the accused killers of Zubair Ahmed, a student of English department of the university, was found authentic.It’s true that among the 13 accused in the Zubair murder case, six were found out to be involved in a physical assault on JU students Razibul Islam and Nazmul Hossain near the Dhaka District Court premises after they had appeared before the tribunal on January 19, said the investigation report conducted by Kotwali Police Station sub-inspector Rafiqul Islam based on a general diary (GD) by the assaulted. The GD included the names of accused killers Khandker Ashiqul Islam Ashiq, Khan Mohammad Rais, Zahid Hasan, Mahbub Akram, Nazmus Sakib Topu and Ishtiaque Mehbub Arup. All the 13 accused — expelled BCL activists of the university — are currently on bail and reportedly enjoying favour from the JU administration. Earlier, during the trial on Zubair murder case on January 23, Public Prosecutor FM Rafiqul Islam, submitted a plea seeking to revoke the bail granted them earlier as they have been flexing muscles. The tribunal after hearing the plea ordered the police station concerned to undertake an investigation into the incident of the reported physical assault. SI Rafiqul Islam visited the university and quizzed two of the witnesses — JU security officer Azim Uddin and microbus driver Mohammad Ainal — of the assault mentioned in the GD. The investigation report also mentioned that the six accused offenders reportedly gave threats of ‘further killing’ the two men during the assault. “The assaulters threatened to kill more if they are sentenced to death (for Zubair murder),” said the report. PP Rafiqul Islam told UNB that the tribunal today (Wednesday) set February 2 for hearing the plea seeking the cancellation of the accused killers. The court allowed them conditional bail which has already been violated by the assault and threat, said the PP. Meanwhile, Chief Judicial Magistrate Court’s Senior Judicial Magistrate Kazi Shahidul Islam who took the confessional statements of two of the accused killers — Mahbub Akram and Nazmus Sakib Tapu — appeared before the tribunal on Wednesday as a defense witness. Zubair Ahmed, 23, an undergraduate student of English Department at JU, died at United Hospital in the capital on January 9 in 2012, hours into his adduction and tortures on the JU campus by his political opponents on January 8. On January 30, 2012, the JU syndicate expelled seven of the accused permanently and also suspended others for two years as their involvement in the attack on Zubair was proved in preliminary investigation conducted by the university administration. On April 8, 2012, the investigation officer concerned of the Ashulia Police Station submitted the chargesheet in this connection, accusing 13 students. The accused in the case are Shafiul Alam Shetu and Avinandan Kundu Ovi, Khandaker Ashiqul Islam Ashiq, Khan Mohammad Rais and Zahid Hasan, Mazharul Islam and Mahmudul Hasan Masud, Mahbub Akram, Nazmus Sakib Topu, Nazmul Hossain Plabon, Rashedul Islam Raju, Ishtiaque Mehbub Arup and Kamruzzaman Shohag. On March 1, 2013, District and Session’s judge Abdul Mazid cognisance of the chargesheet in the case. The Speedy Trial Tribunal-4 on September 7 last year framed charges against 13 of the accused. Santrasher Biruddhe Jahangirnagar, a platform of JU students seeking justice on Zubair murder, has been raising complaints about the free-movement of Zubair’s killers while the trial is going on. They also raised complaints that the accused killers are enjoying undue favours from the JU administration. “Zubair’s killers are enjoying undue favour from the administration,” Sanyuzzaman Pavel, an organiser of the platform, told UNB. “How can the administration give a job to killer Mahmudul Hasan?” he questioned. He also alleged that the JU administration is also delaying its investigation report on the brutal killing. Contacted about the employment of an accused killer of Zubair, JU Transport Office in-charge Khairul Bashar said, “Mahmud Hasan (accused killer) has been appointed because his father used to work in this office. If the allegation against him is proved, we’ll take necessary action.” Asked why the accused killers are being allowed to attend classes and reside in halls, JU proctor Mojibur Rahman told UNB that the accused can attend lectures by virtue of a stay-order from the High Court on their expulsion by the JU authorities. Responding to a writ petition filed by the accused, the High Court gave a stay-order on their expulsion until disposal of the trial. – UNB
