Witness in ex-BNP MP murder trial threatened

Humayun Kabir alias Phool Miah, now free on bail, threatened Mohammad Badsha Miah, a witness in the case, 30 minutes before Badsha Miah was due to give his deposition to the court on Thursday.

Badsha Miah, son of Afsar Ali of Gochidanga under Bhurungamari in Kurigram district, appeared before the Speedy Trial Tribunal at 10:00 am.

Humayun Kabir was also present in the court and after making an unsuccessful attempt to convince Badsha Miah not to implicate him, threatened him by saying, "You will be killed if you do not give your deposition as per my instructions."

Badsha Miah did not identify Humayun Kabir in his deposition in court, although he had identified him in the presence of the Special Public Prosecutor (PP) Harun-or-Rashid Khan one hour before.

Later, Badsha was declared a 'hostile witness" and cross-examined by the PP.

The PP submitted a petition seeking the cancellation of Humayun Kabir's bail, stating that Humayun Kabir had threatened Badsha Miah, a vital witness in the case. No witness will appear before the court if Humayun Kabir is on bail, and thus his bail should be cancelled, the PP said.

Judge Jahangir Alam Mollah has fixed today for the hearing on the petition.

Humayun Kabir and his accomplice Salahuddin rented a room at the Hotel Almas in Kurigram on August 31, 2001 and stayed there till September 3. Badsha Miah was working at the hotel at the time.

Earlier, the court recorded statements of 18 prosecution witnesses including the victim's mother Hena Akhter.

Sujan, 35, a former BNP MP from Brahmanbaria-6 constituency and former vice president of Haji Mohammad Mohsin Hall Students Union of Dhaka University, was abducted by his rivals and found dead near the Doyel Chattar on the Dhaka University campus on July 3, 2001.

The victim's mother filed an abduction case with Motijheel police station the same day accusing BNP leader Dr Raushan Alam, Khorshed Alam, Humayun Kabir, Kajol Ahmed Jalali and Gias Uddin Jalali.

The Criminal Investigation Department pressed charges against Dr Raushan Alam and 11 others on July 7, 2003.

The court framed charges against the accused on September 15 and its trial began on September 21.

Of the accused, Dr Raushan Alam, Kajol Jalali, Khorshed Alam, VP Mannan, Kamal Ahmed and Humayun Kabir are now free on bail while Faruk is in custody. Giasuddin Jalali and four others are absconding.