Trial of 6 Accused in Maulana Faruqi Murder Begins After 12 Years
Nurul Islam Faruqi. Collected photo.
After a long 12 years, the trial of six accused in the murder case of Islamic speaker Nurul Islam Faruqi has begun through the framing of charges against them. On Sunday, Dhaka's 9th Additional Metropolitan Sessions Judge Md. Shahidul Islam passed this order after a hearing, rejecting the discharge petitions.
At the same time, the court set December 6 for the recording of testimony. State prosecutor Aminul Islam Sarkar provided this information to the media.
On this day, accused Abdullah Al Tasnim Nahid, Engineer alias Riaz alias Ripon, and Abu Raihan Mahmud Abdul Hadi appeared in court. Lawyers representing them, including Zayedur Rahman Zahid, filed petitions seeking their discharge.
Accused Hadisur Rahman Sagar, who is in jail in this case, was shown present virtually. The hearing began in their presence. At that time, state prosecutor Aminul Islam Sarkar argued in favor of framing charges. After hearing both sides, the court rejected the discharge petitions and ordered the framing of charges. However, two accused, Mahmud Ibn Bashar and Rafiqul Islam Fardin, were not present as they are absconding.
The accused are—Hadisur Rahman alias Sagar alias Zulfikar alias Sad Bin Abu Wakkas alias Abu Al Bangali alias Abdullah Sir alias Taufiq Amjad (35), Abdullah Al Tasnim Nahid (35), Rafiqul Islam Fardin (31), Abu Raihan Mahmud Abdul Hadi (25), Mahmud Ibn Bashar (32), and Ratan Chowdhury alias Engineer Ripon alias Rakibul Islam Riaz (33).
According to the case details, on August 27, 2014, Maulana Nurul Islam Faruqi was brutally murdered at his own home at 174 East Rajabazar in the capital. After the murder, cash and gold ornaments were looted from his house. In this connection, his son Faisal Faruqi filed a murder case with Sher-e-Bangla Nagar Police Station, naming 8 to 10 unidentified people as accused.
After completing the investigation, on November 5, 2024, the investigating officer of the case, Additional Special Superintendent of Police K M Abul Kashem of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), submitted the charge sheet to the court. In it, because the full names and addresses of six people could not be found, a recommendation was made to discharge six people, and a charge sheet was submitted accusing six people. In addition, due to lack of evidence, an application was made seeking exemption of another six people from the case. Later, the court exempted them from the case.
The charge sheet stated that on the evening of August 26, 2014, a meeting was held at the house of Imon's father-in-law in Kamarpara beside East West Medical College in Ashulia, Dhaka, to plan the murder. JMB leader Jamai Faruk, Mahmud Ibn Bashar, Ratan Chowdhury Engineer Ripon and Rakib alias Riaz, Naeem, Hadisur Rahman Sagar Zulfikar alias Sad Bin Abu Wakkas, Abu Al Bangali Abdullah Sir alias Taufiq Amjad, Abdullah Al Tasnim, Nahid, Imon, Rafiqul Islam Rubel, Sarwar Jahan Manik, Hafez Kabir, Md. Mashtak E Matam, Mostafizur, and other militants, in a pre-planned manner, killed victim Nurul Islam Faruqi at his own home on the day of the incident due to ideological differences and looted cash and gold ornaments.
The deceased Nurul Islam Faruqi was a follower of Sufi doctrine and an Islamic speaker. He was a person who followed a shrine. On the other hand, the accused were people of JMB ideology. They propagated doctrines contrary to the establishment of shrines and the activities practiced at shrines. At that time, various activities of the organization called JMB were ongoing across the country. Due to ideological differences, militants of the then-active militant organization JMB (a faction), namely the Jamai Faruk group, carried out this murder.
