BNP leader's body exhumed 5 months after election day death

The body of Mahbubuzzaman Kochi, former office secretary of Khulna Metropolitan BNP who died on national election day, has been exhumed following a court order. The body was recovered from the Tutpara graveyard in the city on Monday afternoon, July 6, nearly five months after his death, for an autopsy. The body was later sent to Khulna Medical College morgue.

The court ordered the exhumation following an application by the Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI), which is investigating the murder case. According to an order issued by the Judicial Magistrate's office of the Khulna Deputy Commissioner's office, the exhumation was carried out around 12:00 pm in the presence of Assistant Commissioner and Executive Magistrate Nazmus Sakib. BNP leaders and activists from various levels, along with locals, were present at the graveyard alongside law enforcement personnel.

According to case sources, Mahbubuzzaman Kochi died while on duty at the Khulna Alia Kamil Madrasa polling centre on February 12, the day of the national parliamentary election. He was serving as the election agent for BNP candidate Nazrul Islam Manju in the Khulna-2 constituency.

The case filing alleged that after voting began, several individuals were pressuring and intimidating voters to vote for a particular symbol near the pond area inside the centre. When Kochi protested, he was attacked in a pre-planned manner. At one point, the then-acting principal of Alia Kamil Madrasa, Md Abdur Rahim Sardar, grabbed his throat and pushed him, causing him to hit a tree and sustain serious injuries. He was taken to Khulna City Medical College Hospital, where doctors declared him dead.

The incident sparked widespread discussion in political circles. On that day, BNP candidate Nazrul Islam Manju alleged that Kochi had been killed by a Jamaat leader's blow at the Alia Madrasa centre. He demanded the immediate arrest of the Jamaat leader, the madrasa principal and his associates, and legal action against those who had given the orders.

Meanwhile, Jamaat candidate Sheikh Jahangir Hossain Helal denied the allegations, claiming that Kochi had died of a heart attack.

Investigation sources said there have been conflicting statements about Kochi's cause of death from the beginning. While one side claims it was a planned murder, the other maintains it was a natural death due to a heart attack. The PBI applied for the exhumation to determine the actual cause of death and make the investigation more reliable.

PBI sources said that as the victim's family was in mourning, former organisational secretary of Khulna Sadar Thana BNP, Md Yusuf Harun (Maznu), filed a complaint case in the court of the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate of Khulna a few days after the incident. The case, filed under sections 302/34 of the Penal Code, named Abdur Rahim Sardar and two others, along with 15 to 20 unnamed individuals. The court took cognisance of the case and assigned the PBI to investigate.

Case plaintiff Yusuf Harun, who was present during the exhumation, said he had witnessed commotion at the centre on election day. He claimed Kochi had been attacked and died after being taken to hospital. He had approached the court to uncover the true facts of the incident.

"Mahbubuzzaman Kochi was a familiar face in Khulna's political arena. We want the truth to come out through an impartial investigation and for the perpetrators to be brought to justice," he said.