Dear Editor:
Thank you for your thoughtful comments as expressed in the editorial (“Grotesque murder of Rifat in broad daylight: Let there be justice”, published on 5 July 2019.) You have correctly pointed out that there exists a vast frightful underworld run by formidable criminals.
Murder is happening and what is more, even children commit murders. Over 300 children have been involved in almost 100 murders in Dhaka city in the last 16 years. According to the report published in the Prothom Alo, the victims were also teenagers, most of whom were aged between 12 and 17. While during the last one and a half years, as many as 13 children were murdered by other children in the capital, only in the last 10 days, two teenagers were killed.
Internet service provider Rifat Sharif, 25, was attacked and killed in broad daylight by two youths and some others with sharp weapons near Barguna Government College in front of his wife on June 26. A video clip of the barbaric attack, probably captured on a mobile phone, went viral on social media prompting public outrage, with many condemning the bystanders for not coming forward to save Rifat. His wife Ayesha alone desperately tried to save her husband from the attackers but without success. Fatally injured Rifat was taken to Barishal Sher-E-Bangla Medical College Hospital where doctors declared him dead.
Police identified 13 people involved in the killing of Rifat Sharif and issued red alert at all international airports, and land and river ports across the country to prevent them from fleeing. Of accused seven Rabbi, Oli, Tanvir, Chandon, Hasan, Sagor and Najmul—have already given confessional statements about their involvement in Rifat’s murder, the IO confirmed.
Meanwhile, Sabbir Hossain Nayan alias ‘Nayan Bond’, one of the two attackers who hacked Barguna youth Rifat Sharif to death in front of his wife in broad daylight, was killed in “gunfight” with law enforcers, police said. A team of Barguna Sadar Police Station conducted a drive to arrest Nayan at Purbo Burirchar near Purkata ferry ghat area around 4:15am, Abir Hossain Mohammad, officer-in-charge of Barguna Sadar Police Station, told reporters.
The policemen came under attack by the gang of Nayan when the lawmen reached the area, the OC said, adding that in response, police fired back to protect themselves, triggering the “gunfight”. The body of Nayan was found after the “gunfight”, the police official said. Four policemen including Additional SP Shajahan Mia, who led the drive, were injured in the incident, he said. Two of them were sent to Barishal as their conditions were stated to be critical, he added. Police also recovered three sharp weapons, one pistol and three bullets from the spot.
Addressing a press conference on July 14 at her father’s house at Nowakata village in Barguna Sadar upazila,Aysha Siddika Minni, wife of slain Rifat Sharif, rejected her father-in-law’s allegation that she had a link with the gruesome murder of her husband. “Propaganda is being spread over the murder by a certain group to hide the real killers,” Minni said at her father’s house at Nowakata village in Barguna Sarad upazila this afternoon. Minni said, “The people, who have created the 007 group are politically and financially influential and they are trying to hide the real killers by spreading such propaganda.Whatever my father-in-law has said is false and baseless. My father-in-law is suffering from dementia,” Minni said in her written statement at the press conference.
The murderers have to be nabbed, indicted and punished under due process of law.
A M K Chowdhury
Narayanganj
Thursday, September 05, 2019
