Trial begins in Maulana Faruquee murder case after 12yrs

A Dhaka court has begun the trial of six accused in the murder of Maulana Nurul Islam Faruquee, an Islamic Front leader and presenter of religious programmes on television, by framing charges against them.

Judge Md Shahidul Islam of the Dhaka Ninth Additional Metropolitan Sessions Judge's Court passed the order on Sunday (November 8) after a hearing. The court also fixed December 6 for the next hearing on witness testimony.

State counsel Aminul Islam Sarker confirmed the development, saying the charges were read out virtually to accused Hadisur Rahman Sagar, who is in jail. The court rejected the discharge petitions filed on behalf of three accused who are out on bail. No hearing was held against the remaining two accused as they are absconding.

The accused are Hadisur Rahman alias Sagar, Abdullah Al Tasnim Nahid, Rafiqul Islam Fardeen, Abu Rayhan Mahmud Abdul Hadi, Mahmud Ibn Bashar and Ratan Chowdhury alias Engineer Ripon, also known as Rakibul Islam Riaz.

Nahid, Riaz and Hadi appeared before the court on bail, while Bashar and Fardeen remain absconding. Arrest warrants have been issued against them.

On November 5, 2024, the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) submitted a charge sheet against the six accused, recommending that 12 others be discharged. Additional Superintendent of Police KM Abul Kashem was the investigation officer.

According to the case statement, a group of miscreants rang the doorbell of Faruquee's residence on August 27, 2014. After two men entered and sat with him in the drawing room, another six to seven people arrived.

When a relative of Faruquee's son, Maruf Hossain, went to bring additional chairs, he returned to find the attackers holding a pistol and a machete to Faruquee's head.

The assailants allegedly tied up the family members before hacking Faruquee to death.

Following the incident, his son Faisal Faruquee filed a murder case with Sher-e-Bangla Nagar Police Station against eight to 10 unidentified people.