Bangladesh News

A Khulna speedy trial tribunal yesterday acquitted all seven accused in journalist Humayun Kabir Balu murder case.

The acquitted are founder of Janajuddho faction of outlawed Purbo Banglar Communist Party Abdur Rashid Malitha alias Dada Tapan, Nazrul Islam alias Khora Nazrul, Iqbal Hossain Shadhin, Nazimuddin, Masum, Rimon and Zahid.

Judge Abdus Salam Shikder of Khulna Division Speedy Trial Tribunal delivered the verdict while five of the accused were present in the courtroom. Prime accused Dada Tapan was tried in absentia and another accused was out on bail.

Humayun Kabir Balu, editor of Dainik Janmabhumi, along with a freedom fighter was killed in a bomb attack on June 27 in 2004 in front of Balu’s residence on Haji Ismail Road under Khulna sadar thana.

Sub-Inspector Maruf Hossain filed the case with Khulna Sadar Police Station without mentioning anyone’s name as accused.

Detective Branch (DB) Inspector Abdul Hamid of Khulna Metropolitan Police (KMP) submitted charge sheet to the court on April 25, 2005, accusing ten persons for the murders.

Judge of the speedy trial tribunal ordered reinvestigation of the case following a petition filed by prosecution lawyer Abu Zafar.

Inspector Chitta Ranjan Pal of DB of KMP pressed a supplementary charge sheet on August 8 last year implicating Nazimuddin in the murder case, raising the total number of accused to eleven.

Four out of the eleven accused were killed in shootouts with law enforcers. The killed accused are armed Janajuddho activists BDR Altaf, Shoeb, Suman and Shyamal.

The court recorded statements from 24 out of 36 prosecution witnesses during the trial.

Judge Abdus Salam Shikder in his judgement said he had no other option but to acquit the accused as the charge sheet was extremely flawed and it lacked necessary evidence.

The investigation was not done properly either and therefore the accused could not be proven guilty during the trial, the judge added.