Concerns raised over investigation into lawyer Saiful’s murder, Democratic Rights Committee demands fair justice

The Democratic Rights Committee has expressed serious concerns about the investigation into the murder of lawyer Saiful Islam, also known as Alif, in the Chattogram court. 

According to the committee, the investigation is not being carried out properly, and they believe some groups are trying to exploit the situation for their own benefit by engaging in what they call an "arrest business" and stoking communal tensions.

On Sunday, December 29, the Democratic Rights Committee held a press conference at the National Press Club in Dhaka.

They shared their findings in a report titled “Field Visit to Chattogram After Lawyer Alif’s Murder: Observations and Proposals.”

On November 25, Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari, the spokesperson for the Bangladesh Combined Sanatan Jagaran Alliance, was arrested in Dhaka. 

The next day, when he was brought to Chattogram court, violence erupted, and it was during this chaos that lawyer Saiful Islam was tragically killed.

Following this, on December 23, a team from the Democratic Rights Committee visited Chattogram to observe the situation. Based on what they saw, the committee shared their observations and recommendations at the press conference.

The committee pointed out that six cases had been filed related to the murder and the violence, with 390 individuals named as accused and over 2,400 unnamed individuals included as suspects. 

The committee raised concerns that the large number of unnamed suspects had led to an ongoing “arrest business.”

They also highlighted that 10 individuals from the Harijan Colony had been arrested, and their families were suffering. 

Many of the men had fled to avoid arrest, leaving their wives and children in a very difficult situation.

Anu Muhammad, a member of the Democratic Rights Committee, talked about how the inclusion of so many unnamed suspects was leading to widespread harassment. 

He warned that this could lead to innocent people being targeted, and powerful individuals could use the situation to extort money or threaten people. He also pointed out the growing communal tensions and how some groups were trying to take advantage of the situation for their own gains. 

According to him, this could create more uncertainty and lead to further problems in the future, which could damage the reputation of the entire country.

The committee also expressed concern over the destruction of two temples and eight houses in the Harijan Colony on the day of the murder. 

Two days later, on November 29, a group of criminals looted and destroyed properties in the Harijan Colony after Friday prayers. 

These incidents had not been reported in the media, and no cases had been filed regarding the vandalism of the temples and houses.

Professor Samina Lutfa from Dhaka University also spoke at the press conference. She expressed concern that, even five months after the mass uprising, certain communities were still being marginalized because of their religious identity. 

She said that the government had not done enough to address these issues, which was worrying for citizens who feared that the situation could worsen.

Lawyer Jyotirmoy Barua read out a written statement in which he expressed shock at how the investigation had been handled. 

He pointed out that after their visit to Chattogram, they learned that a police officer had visited the Harijan community and threatened them. 

He reportedly told the community that if they identified the real culprits, the 10 individuals who had been arrested would be released.

The Democratic Rights Committee also stated that identifying the killers of lawyer Saiful Islam should not be difficult, as there were 20 to 25 CCTV cameras along the road leading up to the crime scene. 

The committee emphasized that the footage from these cameras could help identify the perpetrators, but no action had been taken to examine the footage.

Lawyer Manjur-Al-Matin also expressed his concern over the way people were being targeted based on their religious identity, especially in connection with the July uprising.

He criticized how lawyers, including many from Chattogram, who had been involved in the uprising, were now facing legal action. 

He called this a very unfortunate situation and emphasized that lawyers should be allowed to perform their legal duties without obstruction.

Five Key Proposals:

1. Ensure justice for lawyer Saiful Islam’s murder.
2. Properly investigate the disorder and vandalism at the court premises.
3. Identify the instigators of the violence.
4. File cases and ensure justice for the destruction and arson in the Harijan Colony and nearby Hindu communities.
5. Quickly identify and take action against those trying to provoke communal riots in the area.

The committee also demanded that the harassment of the Harijan community in the Sevek Colony be stopped immediately. 

They called for an end to the arrest business and widespread arrests. They urged the authorities to examine the CCTV footage from the time of the incidents and insisted that no one should be arrested without specific charges. 

Lastly, they requested that all those arrested, including Chinmoy Krishna Das, be guaranteed their right to a fair trial.