Trial of Patradut editor murder case begins after 15 years
SM Ala Uddin
Trial of daily Patradut editor SM Ala Uddin murder case began yesterday, 15 years into the killing. A court yesterday recorded the statement of Abdur Razzak, a prosecution witness (PW) in the case, in presence of all the accused. Judge Obaidus Sobhan of Satkhira District and Sessions Judge's court recorded the statement and fixed July 17 for next hearing. Patradut editor SM Ala Uddin was shot dead by assailants while he was discharging his professional duties at the newspaper office at Pransayer in the town on June 19 in 1996. Police arrested Awami Jubo League activist and alleged member of the killing squad Saiful Islam five days after the incident. The arrestee in his confession disclosed the names of other accused. The investigation officer (IO) submitted charge-sheet to a magistrate's court here against 10 people on May 5 in 1997 after over 11 months of probe into the case. The charge-sheeted accused are Abdus Sabur, Khalilullah Jharu, Saifullah Kislu, Momin Ullah Mohon, Abdur Rouf, Abul Kalam, Eskandar Mirza, Atiar Rahman, Saiful Islam and Safiur Rahman. The trial was delayed as five of the accused submitted a petition to the High Court seeking quashment. The High Court accepted the petitioners' prayer and quashed the case in 1998. On appeal from the government, the Supreme Court rejected the quashment order of the HC and asked the lower court to resume the trial on March 11 in 1999. Later accused Khalilullah Jharu and Abdus Sabur filed an appeal petition before a bench of the High Court Division of the Supreme Court with a prayer to shift the trial court from Satkhira to a court at any other place in the country. After hearing, the High Court's Division Bench rejected the prayer on November 7 in 2007. Later they submitted a leave to appeal petition with the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court against the HC order. On July 26 in 2009, the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court rejected the prayer and the copy of the order reached at Judge's court on September 30 in 2010.
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