AL leader Manjurul was often threatened by four party men
Three party leaders tell Khulna court
Three of the eight Awami League leaders named by slain party leader Manjurul Imam's son for their alleged involvement in his father's murder yesterday said in court that Imam often told them that he might be killed by four party men.
The four named in the court are former Whip Mostafa Rashidi Shuja, his younger brother Moazzem Rashidi Doza, Khulna city AL secretary Mizanur Rahman Mizan and Sramik League president Alauddin AL Azad Milon.
They told the Khulna Divisional Speedy Trial Tribunal that they were not aware of the murder plan. But Manjurul Imam often remained panicked and said that he was threatened by the four party men, they said.
The three are Bagerhat district AL secretary freedom fighter Kamruzzaman Tuku, Khulna city ward commissioner Imam Hossain Chowdhury Moina and ward level party leader Biren Ghosh.
Seven out of eight party leaders yesterday appeared before the tribunal as court witnesses in connection with trial of the sensational murder case.
The court had issued summons to eight local Awami League leaders on February 26 to appear before it on March 2. The date was shifted to March 4 due to death of senior lawyer Shamsur Rahman in a heart attack on Thursday last.
The seven AL leaders who appeared before the court for deposition are incumbent president of Khulna city AL and former state minister Talukder Abdul Khaleque, former lawmaker Begum Mannujan Sufian, Bagerhat district AL secretary freedom fighter Kamruzzaman Tuku, Khulna Sadar AL president Ajmol Ahmed Tapan, Sonadanga thana AL president Abul Kalam Azad, Khulna city Sramik League president Alauddin AL Azad Milon and ward level party leader Biren Ghosh.
Prominent party leader and former mayor of Khulna City Corporation (KCC) Kazi Aminul Huq, also named by Imam's son could not appear before the court as he has been absconding since his name appeared on the Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) list of corruption suspects for concealing wealth information.
The court issued summons to the eight AL leaders as Manjurul Imam's son Abdullah Harun Rumi, eldest son of slain Manjurul Imam and a prosecution witness, in his February 25 deposition named them and alleged that they were aware of the plan made by four party leaders to kill his father.
Rumi named four AL leaders as the 'main masterminds' in his father's murder. They are former Whip Mostafa Rashidi Shuja, his younger brother Moazzem Rashidi Doza, Khulna city AL secretary Mizanur Rahman Mizan and ward commissioner Imam Hasan Chowdhury alias Moina.
None of the four has been charge-sheeted by the investigation officer of the case.
In his deposition, court witness Kamruzzaman Tuku also accused former officer-in-charge of Khulna Sadar police station Shibli Noman (now OC of Mohammodpur thana of DMP) and IO of the case SI Abdullah for damaging merit of the case.
Former state minister Talukder Abdul Khaleque blamed the four-party alliance government for failing to properly investigate the political murder.
Charge-sheeted accused of the murder case--Ganesh Banerjee, Ripon, Shahadat and Shukur Ali--were present in the court.
Judge Abdul Salam Shikder fixed March 9 for the next hearing.
Advocate Manjurul Imam, president of Khulna city Awami League was killed in bomb attack near his residence at Shamsur Rahman Road under Khulan Sadar thana in the morning of August 25, 2003 when he was on way to the judges court in a rickshaw along with lawyer Bijon Bihari Mondol.
Both advocate Mandol and rickshaw puller Shahidul also died in the bomb attack.
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