Man files case against Hasina showing living brother as July martyr

Golam Mostafa Mastu, 52, had filed a murder case against Sheikh Hasina showing his living brother Sulaiman Hossain Selim, 50, as a martyr in the anti-discrimination student movement in July last year in Mymensingh.

Mastu made two of his brothers--Helal Uddin,55, and Abul Hossain, 54, the witnesses of the case filed on August 30 last year.

They are the sons of late Abdul Hakim of Dhamar village in Fulbaria upazila.

The case was filed with the Jatrabari police station naming 41 people, including Sheikh Hasina and Obaidul Quader, and keeping 150-200 others as unidentified accused. The case was filed on

According to the case statement, Selim who has a grocery shop in Beltoli Bazar in Dhamar, was killed in a shootout in front of the Kajla petrol pump in the capital on August 3 last year.

Selim and his family alleged that since the death of their father Abdul Hakim about 20 years ago, there has been a dispute between the brothers over land. As Selim has only two daughters, his share of the property has caught the attention of the other three brothers. Meanwhile, financially destitute Mastu, who is involved in four cases, including two murders, filed a false case against Selim in a premeditated manner.

Selim said: "Mastu is a known robber in the area and is involved in several murders. For the past 15 years, Mastu has not come home. Even when he does not come home, he has become desperate to devour my property through his other two brothers. Since I have no son, they are pressuring me to register all the property in their name. Forced by their torture, I have bought 250 acres of land in Dhamar Beltoli Bazar and am making a living by building a house and shop. Whenever I go to my father's house, there is a fight, so I do not go."

He also said: "They have shown me dead in the case. They would have killed me if they had had the opportunity. Now that I understand the matter, I am cautious. But I do not understand how the police took up the false case."

Selim said: "I am being harassed due to the case. I have to prove that I am alive. I have gone to Jatrabari police station and DB office five times so far."

Selim's wife, Hajera Khatun, said: "His three brothers staged this drama with the intention of killing Selim. They had attacked Selim before. Then my husband was saved with the help of the locals. Selim also filed a case against Helal Uddin and Abul Hossain and several others in this incident in 2022."

When the discussion and criticism of the case started, Mastu turned hostile. The statements of Selim's other two brothers were also not known.

However, Jhumi Akhter, the daughter of her brother Helal Uddin, said: "Mastu Kaka has not come home for almost 15 years as he is accused in several cases. He drives a bus in Dhaka. I heard that a case has been filed. But I don't know why my father was made a witness. We are not responsible for this incident. Mastu Kaka can do all these things if he does them."

Ali Hossain, member secretary of the Mymensingh district unit of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, said: "We demand a fair investigation and justice for this incident. The Anti-Discrimination Student Movement stands by Selim and will provide him with all possible assistance if needed. Our only goal is that no one should be harassed in false cases and that justice be established in society."

Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Fulbaria Police Station Mohammad Ruknuzzaman said that Selim, who is alive, was shown dead by his brother Mantu in a family dispute.

He said: "Mastu is known as a robber in the area. There are two murder cases, one extortion case and one fight case against him. I have heard that he has not been to the area for about 15 years. However, he may have filed this case to take control of Selim's land and assets."

The investigation officer of the case, Sub-Inspector Aminul Islam of the Wari Division of the Dhaka Metropolitan Detective Branch (DB), said: "To confirm that Selim is not dead, a DNA test application has been submitted to the court by presenting the two brothers face to face. If the court allows, the CID will conduct a DNA test. The first investigating officer in the case had arrested one person."

He said: "We are trying to complete the investigation of the case quickly. The plaintiff in the case, Mastu, is absconding as he is wanted in another case."