Trial begins against 6 accused in Maulana Faruqui murder case

A Dhaka court has framed charges against six accused in the murder case of Maulana Nurul Islam Faruqui, a leader of Islami Front and presenter of religious programmes on television. With the order, the formal trial began 12 years after the killing.

The order was passed on Sunday (8 November) by the court of Dhaka’s Ninth Additional Metropolitan Sessions Judge, Md Shahidul Islam, following a hearing. The court also set 6 December for the next hearing to record witness testimony.

State lawyer Aminul Islam Sarker confirmed the development to the media. He said the charges were read out virtually to accused Hadisur Rahman Sagar, who is in jail. The court rejected discharge petitions filed on behalf of three accused who are currently out on bail. No hearing was held in respect of the other two accused, as they remain absconding.

The six accused are Hadisur Rahman alias Sagar, Abdullah Al Tasnim Nahid, Rafiqul Islam Fardin, Abu Raihan Mahmud Abdul Hadi, Mahmud Ibn Bashar and Ratan Chowdhury alias Engineer Ripon, also known as Rakibul Islam Riaz.

Three accused on bail—Abdullah Al Tasnim Nahid, Engineer Ripon alias Riaz and Abu Raihan Mahmud Abdul Hadi—appeared before the court. The other two accused, Mahmud Ibn Bashar and Rafiqul Islam Fardin, are absconding. Arrest warrants have been issued against them.

On 5 November 2024, the investigation officer, Additional Superintendent of Police KM Abul Kashem of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), submitted a charge sheet to the court against six people. The charge sheet also recommended that 12 others be discharged from the case.

According to the case statement, a group of assailants rang the doorbell of Nurul Islam Faruqui’s residence at around 7pm on 27 August 2014. When the door was opened, two men entered and sat with him in the drawing room. A short while later, another six to seven people entered the house.

As there was not enough room for everyone to sit, Maruf Hossain, a cousin of Faisal Faruqui, went inside to bring more chairs. When he returned, he saw the assailants holding a pistol and a machete to Nurul Islam Faruqui’s head. The attackers then tied up everyone in the house and hacked Faruqui to death.

Following the incident, his son Faisal Faruqui filed a murder case with Sher-e-Bangla Nagar Police Station against eight to 10 unidentified people.

Faruqui hosted the religious programmes Kafela and Shantir Pathe on Channel i, as well as the live programme Sotter Shondhane on MyTV. He was also international affairs secretary of Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat Bangladesh and imam of the Supreme Court Jame Mosque.