July Uprising murder case: AL leader Nasim’s close aide Motahar placed on fresh 3-day remand

A Dhaka court today (7 November) placed Motahar Hossain, a close aide to AFM Bahauddin Nasim, joint general secretary of the activities-banned Awami League, on a fresh three-day remand in a murder case over the death of a garment worker during the July Uprising.

Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Monirul Islam passed the order, said Helal Uddin, a sub-inspector of the prosecution division.

The case concerns the death of garment worker Jasim, who was shot in front of Dhaka Bank on Jasim Uddin Road in the capital’s Uttara on 5 August 2024. He died the following day while undergoing treatment at National Institute of Traumatology and Orthopaedic Rehabilitation (NITOR).

Motahar, 66, was earlier placed on a four-day remand in the case on 3 November.

In an application seeking a seven-day remand, investigation officer Sub-Inspector Saiful Islam of Uttara West Police Station told the court that Motahar had provided important information during interrogation but withheld other details.

The officer said information gathered during the initial questioning was being verified. He also alleged that Motahar, a close aide to Bahauddin Nasim, had provided financial support for efforts to resist the student movement on 5 August 2024.

The investigating officer sought further remand to establish the circumstances of the killing, identify and arrest others involved, obtain their names and addresses, recover weapons allegedly used in the incident and gather additional information from Motahar. The court granted three days.

Jasim’s wife, Mosammat Farida, filed the case on 11 December 2024.

Ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina, Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader and 203 others were named in the first information report, along with 200 to 250 unidentified people. Motahar was listed as accused No 196.