Cloud of confusion over Jamal’s identity

The skeleton being retrieved from a grave at Fatikchhari hill (left) and Jamaluddin's wife Nazma at Rab-7 office in Chittagong trying to identify it. PHOTO: Star File Photo

Jamal Uddin was abducted on July 24, 2003.

The victim's wife, Nazma Akter, 45, could not identify the recovered skeleton as that of Jamal Uddin because of its damaged state.

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As the skeleton was brought before her at the Rapid Action Battalion (Rab-7) headquarters at Patenga on August 25, she did not disown it either.

On the other hand, Kala Mahbub, an accused in the murder case, said the skeleton belonged to Jamal Uddin.

Kala Mahbub said Jamal Uddin was abducted and killed as per a Tk 1 crore deal between ruling party lawmaker Sarwar Jamal Nizam's brother Maruf Nizam and Kanchan Nagor Union Parishad Chairman Kashem Chairman, known as Kashem Chairman.

Jamal Uddin was murdered after the killers received a directive from Kahsem Chiarman through Shahid Chairman at around midnight on August 17, 2003, 24 days after his abduction, Kala Mahbub said.

The Criminal Investigation Department (CID), the agency investigating the abduction case, on Sunday got the postmortem report of the skeleton, done at the forensic department at Chittagong Medical College Hospital (CMCH).

The CID sent samples (hair, bone and earth taken from the place where skeleton was buried) to Dhaka.

Prof Dr Hasannuzzaman Bhuiyan of CMCH said they will be able to make a primary report of the forensic test within three days and a complete report within a week.

On the same day (Sunday), CID took sample of hair, two teeth, two bones femur and humerusfrom the skeleton to Dhaka for DNA test.

CID Inspector Anwar Hossain, also the investigating officer (IO) of the case, said, "It is the first time we are going for DNA test."

"So, I can't say how long it will take to get the DNA test result," he said.

Meanwhile, Dr Hasanuzzaman expressed his doubt over accuracy of DNA test in Bangladesh with the existing facilities for such a job.

Absence of family profiles might create a problem to get perfect result from the DNA test, he added while talking to The Daily Star Saturday evening.

"So, whatever the result is, it will take time to make sure whether the skeleton was of Jamal Uddin, he said.

Rab retrieved the skeleton buried at the foot of Fakirertila adjacent to Satkainda Tila at Daijjyakhali in Kanchan Nagor union, some 50 kilometres off Chittagong city.

Once a state-owned huge rubber garden, Fakerertila is now under the illegal occupation of Kala Mahbub.

It is an inaccessible hilly area bordering Kanchan Nagor and Rangamatia unions under Fatikchhari upazila.