Eighth Death Anniversary
Reinvestigation into Balu murder case demanded
Journalists here yesterday demanded fresh probe into Humayun Kabir Balu killing case as all the accused were acquitted because of weak investigation and flawed charge sheet. They also demanded a fresh trial of the case at a discussion meeting held at Khulna Press Club, marking the eighth death anniversary of journalist Humayun Kabir Balu . Chaired by Faruk Ahmed, vice-president of Khulna Press Club, the meeting was addressed, among others, by former president of the club Wadudur Rahman Panna, General Secretary S M Habib, former general secretary S M Zahid Hossain, Moqbul Hossain Mintu, Ahmed Ali Khan, Md Saheb Ali, Subir Roy and Mozzammel Haque Howlader. The speakers also demanded arrest of the masterminds behind Balu murder and trial of the killings of around 20 journalists, including Manik Saha, Sagar Sarowar and Meherun Runi, in a special tribunal. Earlier on the day, Journalists placed wreaths at the monument built on the premises of the press club in memory of the slain journalists and arranged a doa mehfil at the club. Different socio-cultural organisations, including Humayun Kabir Balu Smrity Parishad, also placed wreaths at the grave at Bashupara in the city and offered special prayers seeking salvation of the departed soul. Humayun Kabir Balu, editor of Dainik Janmabhumi, was killed in a bomb attack on June 27 in 2004 in front of his residence at Islampur in the city. The then sub-inspector Maruf Ahmed of Khulna Police Station filed a murder case the following day without mentioning anyone's name as accused. Police submitted a charge sheet to the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate's Court on April 25, 2005, accusing ten people. Later, the case was transferred to the Speedy Trial Tribunal in Khulna. Judge of the Speedy Trial Tribunal ordered the Detective Branch (DB) of KMP to reinvestigate the case following a petition filed by prosecution lawyer Abu Zafar. Then DB Inspector Chitta Ranjan Pal pressed a supplementary charge sheet on August 8 in 2007, accusing 11 people. Five of them were killed in shootouts with law enforcers during the trial. The Speedy Trial Tribunal pronounced the verdict in the case on February 13 in 2008. The judge of the tribunal acquitted all the six accused, saying that the charge sheet was flawed and it lacked necessary evidence.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel.
Comments