The police have said that 25–30 individuals participated in the murder of a lawyer in Chattogram. A man wearing a white shirt and black pants was lying on the road. Around him, there were 25–30 young men. Among them, one was wearing an orange t-shirt, black pants, and a gray helmet. This helmet-wearing individual kept hacking at the man lying on the road with a machete. Three or four others were also beating him. This scene is from a video collected by the police.
This incident occurred last Tuesday afternoon. Lawyer Saiful Islam was killed by being beaten and hacked in this manner on a road in front of a house in the Sebok Colony area adjacent to Kotwali Police Station, near the Chattogram court building. The youth holding the machete and hacking at him was identified as Chandan Das, a professional sanitation worker. The police have stated that not just Chandan Das but 25–30 people were involved in the killing of the lawyer. Four of them directly participated in the hacking. Based on video footage from the scene, the police have so far arrested eight individuals. Operations are ongoing to capture the others.
Yesterday, Thursday, for the second day in a row, court proceedings in Chattogram were halted in protest of the murder of lawyer Saiful Islam. Former students of law departments from various private universities joined a human chain demanding justice for the murderers.
In addition, seven more people were arrested yesterday on charges of being involved in the attack on the police.
At around 12:30 p.m. last Tuesday, Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari, spokesperson for the Samomilito Sanatoni Jagoron Jote, who was arrested in a sedition case, had his bail plea denied in court. Afterward, when he was being taken to jail in a prison van, his followers obstructed the van and began protesting. Later, the police and Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) dispersed the protesters using batons and sound grenades.
This led to the beginning of the clashes. During this time, some lawyers organized a protest march against the vandalism and brick-throwing. Multiple eyewitnesses reported that while returning from the march, Saiful tripped and fell on the road. He was then hacked and beaten to death. Investigators, referencing a 52-second video collected by the police, stated that lawyer Saiful Islam was hacked with sharp weapons by Om Dash, Chandan, and Ronob. Even when his lifeless body lay on the ground, others continued to beat him with sticks and rods. Around 25–30 individuals were present. Among them, eight individuals, including Romit Das, Sumit Das, Gagan Das, Nayan Das, Vishal Das, Aman Das, Monu Methor, and Rajib Bhattacharjee, were arrested on Tuesday night on charges of involvement in the murder. Most of them are sanitation workers, with one being a law student from a private university.
Since Tuesday, most residents of Sebok Colony have been absent from their homes. Yesterday afternoon, only a few were seen there. Speaking on condition of anonymity, some residents told Prothom Alo that although only a few people were involved in the incident, everyone is now facing trouble. They requested that innocent individuals not be harassed. Lawyer Md. Hasan, an eyewitness, told Prothom Alo that Saiful and some other lawyers had gone to Bandil Road with a protest march against the vandalism and attacks. At that time, armed individuals chased them. Saiful tripped and fell, while others fled to save their lives.
Kotwali Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Fazlul Qader Chowdhury told Prothom Alo at his office yesterday afternoon that preliminary information from video footage and arrested suspects indicates that 25–30 individuals participated in the lawyer’s murder. Police have identified most of them. Eight of the individuals involved in the murder have been arrested, and operations are ongoing to capture the others.
Regarding whether the suspects have any political affiliations, the OC said that the matter is under investigation and no such connections have been found yet.
In three cases filed over the attack on the police, seven more individuals were arrested yesterday by the Kotwali Police. They are Rajib, Bobby Chowdhury, Abdul Kaiyum, Kaushik Chowdhury, Abir De, Robin Das, and Jewel Das. This brings the total number of arrests for the attack on the police to 35.
Police sources have informed that Saiful Islam’s family is preparing to file a case over the murder. However, as of the writing of this report last night, no murder case had been filed.
Questions Regarding Police Conduct
Nazim Uddin Chowdhury, president of the District Lawyers’ Association, has raised questions about the role of the police in the incidents surrounding Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari at the court premises. At a protest rally of the Nationalist Lawyers’ Forum yesterday afternoon at the court premises, he stated that the police were complicit in all the incidents that occurred, from the killing to other events on the court premises.
Nazim Uddin Chowdhury said, “When Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari was being placed in the prison van to be taken to jail, why was the police inactive? Who allowed Chinmoy Krishna to be kept on the road for three hours? Why was he given a handheld microphone? How did he deliver a speech from the prison van? I urge the police commissioner to investigate these matters.” He further demanded the withdrawal of the privileges given to Chinmoy Das in jail, warning that otherwise, there would be a siege of the jail.
When asked about this, Kazi Tarek Aziz, Additional Deputy Commissioner of Chattogram Police (Media), told Prothom Alo that the police handled the situation with maximum professionalism and patience. There was no negligence in their duties.
Court Proceedings Halted
Court proceedings remained halted for the second consecutive day in protest of lawyer Saiful Islam’s murder. As on the previous day, no hearings were held yesterday in the 74 courts of Chattogram. In the morning, the District Lawyers’ Association flag was flown at half-mast. Lawyers protested by wearing black badges.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Prosecution) ANM Humayun Kabir said that as court proceedings are suspended, no cases are being heard. Cases are being scheduled for later dates.
Former students from law departments of various universities organized a human chain on the court premises, demanding the arrest and execution of Saiful Islam’s murderers. Among these groups were the Chittagong University Law Alumni Association, International Islamic University, BGC Trust University, Premier University, Southern University, and Port City International University. They protested from 11:45 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Additionally, various organizations, including the Nationalist Lawyers’ Forum, held protest rallies and human chains on the court premises.
Zafar Iqbal, General Secretary of the Chittagong University Law Alumni Association, told Prothom Alo, “We demand the death penalty for the murderers who hacked and beat the lawyer to death near the court.”
