No headway in probe

A team from the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) yesterday visited the spot in the Comilla Cantonment area where college student Sohagi Jahan Tonu was found murdered on March 20.

“We have been investigating how and in which condition the body of the girl was found. We have received necessary documents of the case, but we need more time to unearth the mystery,” Assistant Police Superintendent of CID Mojammel Haq told UNB.

He also said, “We haven't got anything yet to make any comment on the progress of the case.”

The team was led by the investigation officer of the case, CID Inspector Gazi Mohammad Ibrahim.

Another CID team will visit the area on Monday, said the ASP.

A citizens' rally in the capital's Shahbagh yesterday, seeking justice for the murder of Sohagi Jahan Tonu as protests have been sweeping the country since the 19-year-old student of Comilla Victoria College was found dead on March 20. They also demanded death penalty as a punishment for rapists. Photo: Star

The murder case was transferred to the CID on March 29 to expedite the probe.

Law enforcers are yet to detain any suspect or quiz anyone apart from the family members.

Meanwhile, different socio-political organisations continued demonstrations at different parts of the country yesterday.

A mass signature campaign began at Shahbagh intersection, demanding immediate arrest of Tonu's killer(s).

The Gonojagoron Mancha organised the campaign, also pressing for “capital punishment to rapists, implementation of High Court guidelines to prevent sexual harassment of women and children and security of women everywhere”.

In Comilla, several organisations joined locals at Pubali Chattar of Kandirpar area in a protest rally.

Speaking at the rally, local CPB leader Abul Bashar said delay in nabbing culprits will only raise questions about law enforcers' capability.

Nabil Hasan, a Victoria College student, said the whole country want to see that the perpetrators are brought to book.

“Tonu is the daughter of Comilla. We want to continue our protest by any means,” he said.

Locals, especially cultural activists, have been demonstrating at Kandirpar since March 22.

Initially, students of Victoria College, where Tonu was a second-year student of history department and a theatre activist, joined the protests at Kandirpar. They started fresh demonstration on the college campus on March 27.

The college went on “summer vacation” yesterday for 17 days, according to the college principal, Prof Abdur Rashid.

He said it was a prescheduled government vacation and that they had informed students about the vacation.

Shahadat Hossain, a student of the college and former president of Victoria College Theatre, said the vacation will have an impact on their ongoing protest.

“But we will continue our agitation,” he told The Daily Star over the phone.

Tonu, 19, was found murdered about 400 yards from her house inside Comilla Cantonment on the night of March 20, according to her family members.

Protesting the killing, agitating students in Dhaka have called a strike at all educational institutions in the country for tomorrow.