Journalist Alif murder: 2 ‘associates’ of prime suspect arrested

Police have arrested two more suspects in the murder of journalist Lutfuzzaman Alif Fakir, who was shot dead in Netrokona’s Durgapur on 15 October, bringing the total number of arrests in the case to four.

According to police, the two arrestees are associates of Tajul Islam, the prime suspect in the case, reports Prothom Alo.

The Detective Branch of Netrokona District Police arrested Imran Islam alias Imon, 24, of Moktarpura in Durgapur municipality, and Sabbir Ahmed, 25, of Teri Bazar in the same upazila, from the Dhanpur Bazar area of Sunamganj’s Bishwambharpur upazila early today (31 October).

Netrokona Superintendent of Police Tarikul Islam said the two suspects would be brought to Netrokona and produced before a court.

Police would seek their remand for interrogation, he added.

Preliminary investigations suggest that the two are associates of prime suspect Tajul and are believed to have been involved in the killing, the police superintendent said.

With the latest arrests, four people have now been arrested in the case.

On 18 October, police arrested Sajibul Islam alias Apurbo, followed by Ashikur Rahman alias Prangan on 20 October. A court subsequently placed both on police remand.

Durgapur Police Station Officer-in-Charge Khandaker Shaker Ahmed told Prothom Alo that Imran and Sabbir were arrested based on information obtained during the investigation. Police hope to gather further information about the killing by questioning them.

Imran was also the prime accused in a case filed over an attack on Alif on 15 November. His name subsequently came up during the investigation into Alif’s murder. Both Imran and Sabbir have multiple cases filed against them for murder and other offences.

Meanwhile, journalists formed a human chain in Netrokona town this afternoon, demanding justice for Alif’s murder.

Organised by the Bangladesh Press Club’s Netrokona district unit, the programme was held in front of the district press club in the Moktarpura area. Speakers demanded the swift arrest of everyone involved in the killing and exemplary punishment for them.

According to the case statement, Alif, 40, was shot dead on the night of 15 October in the Telonjia area, near Utrail Bazar on the Shamganj-Birishiri road in Durgapur upazila.

The following day, his wife, Khadija Akter, filed a murder case with Durgapur Police Station against seven to eight unidentified people.

Alif was the Netrokona correspondent of private television channel Ruposhi Bangla.

He also ran a Facebook page titled “Detective Article”, where he published reports on border smuggling and various other crimes and irregularities.