No headway in probe into Ctg BCL leader Mortuza murder

The victim's family alleged that the killers are moving freely and threatening them to withdraw the case but police are not arresting them.

Talking to this correspondent, Mortuza's elder brother Ali Ajgor Chowdhury, Chairman of Journalism Department at Chittagong University, demanded shifting of the case to the Detective Branch (DB) of police from Hathazari thana police.

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Relatives and friends will observe Mortuza's second death anniversary today.

Mortuza was gunned down on December 27 in 2001 near his house in Hathazari allegedly by some Islami Chhatra Shibir cadres.

Sources had earlier claimed that as he reached near the house, 10 to 12 Shibir cadres on board two autorickshaws allegedly led by Habib Khan encircled him and shot point blank.

Fatally injured Mortuza run into a saloon for shelter. The assailants caught him and fired in his head and chest and fled away. He died while being taken to Chittagong Medical College Hospital (CMCH).

During the last two years, the responsibility of investigation was shifted four times, but none of the investigation officers (IOs) did anything to probe the matter and arrest the killers.

The fifth IO, Sub-inspector-Aminur Rashid, now says he can not make any headway due to lack of witnesses, police sources said.

Hathazari thana OC Mahfuz Ahmed told this correspondent that lack of witness is delaying charge-framing. "But we are optimistic to end our task within a month", he added.

The six accused in the case are Didarul Alam Mozumder president of CU unit of Islami Chhatra Shibir, Habib Khan, Gittu Masir, Montu, Saiful Islam and Towfiq Hossain.