A court in Rajshahi has framed charges against convicted Jamaat-e-Islam leader Delwar Hossain Sayeedi and 103 others in the killing of Faruk Hossain, an activist of Awami League's student wing Bangladesh Chhatra League's Rajshahi University unit.
Rajshahi Additional Metropolitan Sessions Judge Enayet Kabir Sarker indicted the suspects in their presence on Thursday (Jul 25).
Sayeedi is already serving a life sentence for crimes against humanity during the 1971 War of Liberation.
Faruk was killed in February of 2010 in a clash between BCL and Jamaat’s student wing Chhatra Shibir activists.
Sayeedi was brought into court at around 11am amidst heavy security. Additional law enforcers were deployed at the court premises to handle untoward incidents.
“Charges have been framed against 104 including Sayeedi. The court will later decide the hearing dates for the proceedings,” said the state counsel Shirazi Shawkat Salehin.
“Sayeedi was in Rajshahi on Feb 7, two days before the killing and instigated the Chhatra Shibir activists to kill Faruk,” he added.
The defendant’s counsel, meanwhile, claimed that the case against Sayeedi and others were politically motivated and baseless.
“In the case documents 35 people have been specifically accused while the rest of the 20-25 were unnamed,” said Abu Md Selim.
He said that a total of 110 people were accused but since six died, 104 were indicted.
“It’s completely baseless that Sayeedi held a secret meeting in Rajshahi regarding Faruk’s murder.”
In February of 2010, Chhatra Shibir and BCL clashed over the control of Bangabandhu Hall at Rajshahi University.
During the clash Chhatra Shibir men killed BCL activist Faruk and dumped the body in the manhole.
The then BCL’s Rajshahi University unit general secretary Majedul Islam Apu started a case against 35 Chaatra Shibir activists and few other unnamed people.
On Jul 30, 2012, the then Rajpara police OC Zillur, submitted the charge sheet of the case to the court.
The then Jamaat chief Matiur Rahman Nizami, Secretary Ali Hassam Mujahid, Delwar Hossain Sayeedi and 110 others were charged with the murder.
