Family scared as suspect still at large

Ripon does not want to rejoin his job in Dhaka ever.

He took the decision fearing reprisal from the "suspected killer" of his younger brother.

Ariful Islam Sohel, the owner of Ghoroa Restaurant in the capital's Motijheel, shot his brother Riad dead two weeks ago and is still at large. Riad used to work at the restaurant.

"I am scared to come to Dhaka as the killer of my brother is still not arrested," Ripon told The Daily Star over the phone.

"I filed a case against him [Sohel], and that is also a concern," he said.

Ripon is now staying at his home in Chandpur with his widowed mother. The lone bread earner of his family after his brother's death, he is now jobless, putting his family in a tight corner.

Sohel, 26, allegedly shot Riad, 16, dead on October 28, at his under construction building in the capital's Swamibagh, accusing him of "stealing a mobile phone and Tk 1,500".

He then tried to cook up a story of mugging, in which Riad was shot dead by muggers while carrying Tk 250,000 to his employer's house, alleged Ripon.

But police suspected that the murder might have been carried out by Sohel as they got such hints from the footage  of the CCTV installed at the under-construction building.

Sohel went into hiding after police suspected him.

Ripon went to his home in Chandpur to bury his brother but decided not to come back to Dhaka where he worked at a sweet shop. Nor do his mother Rokeya Begum and relatives want to send him back. The family is now dependent on the assistance of their relatives.

"I earned Tk 8,500 per month and sent Tk 5,000 to mother. My brother used to send Tk 2,000 every month from his salary of Tk 3,600 from Ghoroa Restaurant," Ripon said.

He demanded justice for his brother's killing.

The miseries of Rokeya Begum seem to be never-ending. She toiled a lot to raise her children after her husband died around 15 years ago. She worked as a domestic help at different houses to make a living and dreamed of a better life soon. But all her hopes were shattered.

"I don't find any reason to live after my son's death. It would be better if the murderer killed me as well.

"I have lost one son and do not want to lose the other," she said in a choking voice.

Tapan Chandra Saha, officer-in-Charge (OC) of Wari Police Station, said Sohel and his family had disappeared after the killing and they could not trace them out yet.

Jasim Uddin, a staff of Ghoroa and an accused of the murder case, gave a confessional statement before a court that Sohel shot the boy dead, said the OC.

All mobile phones of Sohel and his family members remain switched off, he said.

Inspector Alim Hossain, investigation officer of the case, declined to comment.