BRU teacher sent to jail in July murder case

A murder case linked to the July mass uprising in Rangpur has sparked controversy after police arrested a teacher from Begum Rokeya University yesterday. The teacher, Mahmudul Haque, assistant professor of Mass Communication and Journalism, was sent to jail following a court order.

The case dates back to June 3, when Amena Begum, 60, a resident of Radhakrishnapur in Rangpur city, filed a murder complaint accusing Mahmudul Haque and others of killing her husband, Shomes Uddin, during last year’s anti-discrimination student movement. Mahmudul Haque is named as the 54th accused.

According to the FIR, Sheikh Hasina and Obaidul Quader allegedly ordered the use of deadly force to disrupt the movement. On August 2, 2024, local police, district administration, and Awami League affiliates reportedly attacked Shomes Uddin near his home grocery store with homemade weapons. He was taken to Rangpur Prime Medical College Hospital but was declared dead around 8 pm.

However, a signboard at Shomes Uddin’s grave states a different version: that he died of a stroke after falling while trying to flee from police on the day they entered his home.

Mahmudul Haque was arrested on Thursday afternoon from his home in Dhap Engineerpara area by Hajirhat police. He was presented before the court in the evening, which ordered his detention.

Mahmudul’s wife, Masuba Hasan, claims her husband is innocent and that her late father-in-law died of a heart attack. She alleges police coerced the complainant into signing a blank paper and fabricated the case to frame her husband, naming two conspirators— a doctor and a university teacher—without revealing their identities.

When contacted, Amena Begum’s son Ashiqur Rahman confirmed his father died on August 2, saying he was not present during the incident but heard police and Awami League affiliates were involved. He described how his father tried to flee after seeing police but fell and died, though the exact circumstances remain unclear.

Local residents from Radhakrishnapur said that on the day in question, nine plainclothes policemen visited the house of former Jamaat leader Nasir Uddin, who fled before they arrived. Shomes Uddin reportedly tried to run away in fear but succumbed to a heart attack.

Nasir Uddin dismissed the murder case as “fabricated and staged,” adding that Shomes was a known heart patient who had recently undergone surgery in Dhaka.

Another accused in the case, Rubayet Hossain, is father of Yusha Mohon Ratul, a former student movement organizer. Ratul claims many innocent people have been implicated and that the police officer in charge, Abdul Al Mamun Shah, is personally overseeing the investigation with excessive interest.

The arrest has sparked anger among Rokeya University’s teachers and students. Last night, groups from various departments gathered at Hajirhat police station demanding answers and expressing their protest.

Former student Shaheen Alam said, “During the July uprising, Mahmudul Haque openly condemned the killing of Abu Saeed and supported quota reform on social media. It is clear that supporters of the movement are being falsely implicated.”