No headway yet in Sylhet trader murder case

Though police caught the driver of the auto-srickshaw, which had carried the killers to and from the spot within hours and arrested two others including the manager of the business firm, but the mystery remained in dark.

The 3-day remand of Sudhir Devnath, manager of the firm and that of Mainuddin Dudu ended on Wednesday.

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Police on interrogation from the driver got some information about the group, which assigned the killers, but could not arrest any killer.

Two notorious criminals Shahed and Mokbul of Akhalia Kalibari area hired the auto-rickshaw for the killing mission, and they followed the killers to and from the spot with a motorbike, the driver told police.

He also confessed it before the magistrate, but could not specify the killers. Shahed and Mokbul, hoodlums in the area were wanted in a number of cases, police said. They are members of a faction of Chhatra League and armed cadres.

Police are in a dilemma, whether the two were hired by vested quarters or they were annoyed with the deceased businessman.

The deceased possessed valuable landed property near the house of Shahed. Police made several attempts at places to nab Shahed and Mokbul during the last several days, but failed.

A police official, however, claimed that, the mystery would be unveiled soon.

The deceased had a long-standing dispute with his neighbour Abdul Matin Chowdhury, a leading contractor and leader of Jatiya Party. The day on which, he was shot dead was the date of a case between them.

Mokhlisur appeared in a court in the morning on the fateful day. He went to his business chamber for refreshment after offering Zohar prayer. From there he was supposed to appear before the same court after the lunch break. Police tried to arrest Matin Chowdhury within hours, but in vain..

Two sons of Chowdhury were picked up for interrogation. They were released after a day. The driver of Chowdhury's private car was arrested on Thursday. He will be remanded. Police are now looking whether there is Chowdhury's link with the killing any way. However, police are also looking him for other possibilities.

The murder of the elderly man, who was an ex- headmaster of a high school and well-known for his amiable behaviour with all sparked a strong resentment in the city. He was also the president of Taltola Bayboshayee Samity.

The agitated businessmen put a barricade on the man road in front of the spot and Bangladesh Bank just after the killing. People and business community took to the streets soon after the broad day light murder.

The protest rally held within two hours was addressed by leading people of the city including the City Mayor and other political, social and business leaders.

Sylhet Zila Bayboshayee Oikya Parishad enforced an 8-hour strike in the business establishments on October 7 while the travel agencies also kept their shutters down for eight hours on October 8. Oikya Parishad had threatened tougher agitation programme including hartal within a day or two.

Almost all the political parties including BNP, Awami League, Jamaat, Khelafat Majlish and left leaning organisations strongly condemned the murder and demanded immediate arrest of the killers and masterminds behind the incident.

Social and trade organisations like Chamber and others also demanded immediate nabbing of murderers.

Police officials visited the house of the deceased.The family members requested all not to harass any innocent person. A number of agencies also started investigation to unveil the mystery.