'Ensure justice for my friend,' girl urges PM

A girl sought the prime minister's intervention in ensuring justice for and arresting the killers of her friend, who was murdered for resisting her stalkers, in Savar yesterday.

The 17-year-old said, “If the killers of Maruf are not arrested, the number of stalking incident will increase.”

The teenager was speaking at a human chain beside Dhaka-Aricha highway in Genda area.

On August 21, Maruf Khan, son of Ataur Rahman Khan from the area, was stabbed to death by around 12 people led by a youth named Manju as he tried to stop them from stalking the girl in Genda bus stand area.

Maruf passed HSC exams from Dhaka Commerce College this year.

Hundreds of locals including students from several educational institutions took part in the human chain formed under the banner of “Savar Elaka Bashi”.

They demanded immediate arrest and capital punishment of the killers.

Even after nine days of the murder, police arrested only one out of 11 to 12 accused. Even the prime accused is still at large, they said.

Addressing the programme, Maruf's brother Lutfar Rahman said those who are involved in the killing are trying to convince them to settle the matter.

“If the killers are not arrested immediately, they may kill me too as I am the complainant of the case,” he said.

Saidur Rahman, additional superintendent of police in Dhaka (crime), said they raided several areas of the country to arrest the other accused. “We hope, they would be arrested very soon.”

Locals alleged that the group led by Manju used to extort money from people by using political influence. They used to introduce themselves as the activists of Bangladesh Chhatra League.

A BCL activist of Savar municipality alleged that Manju often introduced himself as a former BCL leader.

However, Saidur Rahman, president of BCL (Dhaka north), said Manju is not involved with BCL but he often participated in its programmes.