2 more held over journalist Shimul killing

Police have arrested two more people over the killing of journalist Abdul Hakim Shimul in Sirajganj's Shahzadpur upazila.

Meanwhile, a committee headed by the upazila nirbahi officer has recommended dropping the names of Shahzadpur Municipality Mayor Halimul Haque Miru and his brother Hamidul Haque Hiru from the list of freedom fighters.

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Dulal Hossain, 44, of Shahzadpur's Borobila village, was arrested in Pabna's Faridpur municipality on Friday and Tufan Miah, 35, in Dargapara village yesterday.

Police said the duo, identified from a video footage, were close associates of Miru.

Shimul, Shahzadpur correspondent of daily Samakal, was hit when Miru allegedly opened fire during a factional clash of ruling Awami League (AL) on February 2. He died the next day.

His wife filed the case against Miru, his two brothers and 15 others. With the new two, 13 people are now under arrest, including nine accused in the case.

Miru, suspended from the post of AL district organising secretary, and his brothers Habibul Haque Mintu and Hasibul Haque Pintu are among the arrestees.

The committee scrutinising a list of freedom fighters reasoned that Miru used 1955 as his birth date to register as a freedom fighter and 1959 in his national identity card.

The Ministry of Liberation War Affairs has the final say in the list.

 Miru got a firearms license in 2014 under a freedom fighter quota.