Police have charged 24 people over the broad daylight killing of Barguna’s Rifat Sharif, including his wife Ayesha Siddiqa Minni.
Investigating officer Barguna Sadar police Inspector Humayun Kabir submitted the charge sheet on Sunday (Sept 1), two months after the killing.
“The charge sheet has been submitted in two parts due to the age of the accused,” Kabir told Bangla Tribune.
He said that 10 of the accused are adults amongst which Rifat Farazi is the prime accused while Minni is the seventh.
“Amongst the under aged Rishan Farazi is accused number one,” he added.
Kabir said that since the key suspect Nayan Bond was killed in a shootout he has been asked to be left out of the case.
Fifteen amongst the accused have been arrested while others are on the run, he said.
On Jun 26, Minni’s husband Rifat was attacked in broad daylight by a group of assailants wielding sharp weapons, in front of Barguna Government College, while she tried to save him.
He died later of excessive bleeding caused by the wounds he sustained during the attack.
The video of the attack went viral on the internet, sparking outrage across the country and Rifat’s father Dulal Sharif filed a case at Barguna police station against 12 people.
Police have arrested 15 people, including Minni, all of who reportedly confessed to their involvement in the murder.
Minni, the key witness, was arrested on Jul 16 after being taken in for questioning and a court placed her on a five-day remand.
On Jul 18, Barguna Superintendent of Police (SP) Maruf Hossain told the media that she had confessed to her involvement in Rifat’s murder. A Barguna court recorded her confessional statement and sent her to jail the next day.
However, the family claimed Minni gave the statement under duress, creating further controversy. On Jul 30, a Barguna court rejected her bail petition in the same case.
On Aug 29, Minni was granted bail with the condition of a bar in speaking to the media.