‘Not sure if I’m accused in murder case’

Sk Bashir Uddin, the newly appointed adviser to the government, yesterday said he is not sure if he is accused in a murder case filed over the killing of a young man during the July uprising.

Speaking to journalists at the Secretariat, Bashir said that there were similarities and dissimilarities between his details and that of an individual accused in the case.

"I cannot say for sure if I'm indeed that person accused in that case."

The person named in the case is Sheikh Bashir Uddin Bhuiyan, son of Sheikh Akij Uddin Bhuiyan.

While the names Sheikh Bashir Uddin Bhuiyan and Sk Bashir Uddin partially match, both men share the same father's name.

Police are investigating to determine if Sk Bashir Uddin and Sheikh Bashir Uddin Bhuiyan are the same person.

THE CASE

On July 19, one Sohan Shah, 27, sustained bullet injuries to his chest in the capital's Rampura during the quota reform protest. Thirty-nine days later, he died at a city hospital.

On September 19, his mother, Sufia Begum, filed a murder case with a Dhaka court against 57 people, including one Sheikh Bashir Uddin Bhuiyan.

The court then directed the officer-in-charge (OC) of Rampura Police Station to register it as a first information report (FIR).

Complainant Sufia told Prothom Alo that the Awami League, Jubo League, Chhatra League, and the police were responsible for her son's murder.

She, however, could not say who the accused were or who named the accused in the case.

Sheikh Bashir Uddin Bhuiyan is the 49th named accused on a list of 57. He has been identified as an Awami League leader. His father's name has been mentioned as Sheikh Akij Uddin Bhuiyan.

The FIR mentions former lawmaker from Jashore-1 Sheikh Afil Uddin Bhuiyan as accused number 48.

According to the parliament website, Sk Afil Uddin was the Awami League lawmaker of Jashore-1.  

Sk Afil Uddin is Bashir's brother.  

The case also accuses former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal president Hasanul Haq Inu, former inspector general of police Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun, and former lawmaker Saifuzzaman Shekhor, among others.

Contacted, Rampura Police Station OC Ataur Rahman Akonda said, "I'm looking into the matter. I had earlier talked to the complainant. But I didn't talk to her about this particular matter."