Tipu-Prity murder: AL leader Ashraf, 32 others indicted

A Dhaka court on Monday (April 29, 2024) framed charges against 33 accused in case over the killing of Awami League leader Zahidul Islam Tipu and a female college student in Shahjahanpur area around two years back.

The trial in the case began formally through framing the charges.

Dhaka Special Judge Court-Judge Ali Hossain passed the order after rejecting an appeal for excluding the names of the accused from the charges.  

The court also set May 21 to record testimony of the witnesses in the case, public prosecutor Md Rafik Uddin said.

On April 25, a hearing on the appeal for exclusion of the accused was held while the court set April 29 for framing the charges against the accused.

Dhaka Metropolitan South unit Organizing Secretary of Awami League Golam Ashraf Talukder, Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) ward councillor and Awami League leader Maruf Ahmed Mansur, expelled president of ward No 10 Jubo League Maruf Reza Sagor, Motijheel Thana unit of Jatiya Party leader Juber Alam Khan Robin, former convenor of Habibullah Bahar College unit Chhatra League Sohel Shahriar, former general secretary of Motijheel Thana unit of Chhatra League Khairul Islam Matbor and former president of ward No-11 unit of Jubo League Kamruzzaman Babu, Sumon Shikder Musa, Masum Muhammad Akash were among the accused.

On the night of March 24, Tipu, who was on a microbus, and Samia Afrin Priti, a 22-year-old college student, who was returning home on a cycle rickshaw were killed in firing in front of Islami Bank Hospital at Shahjahanpur in Dhaka.

Tipu was a former general secretary of the AL Motijheel committee and Priti was a student of Begum Badrunnesa Government College. Tipu’s driver was also injured in the firing.

They were all stuck in a traffic jam in the area when a biker wearing a helmet and a mask appeared from nowhere and fired at them.

The next day, a case was filed against unidentified people over the double murder.

On June 5 last year, the investigation office of the case submitted a charge sheet against 33 people.