A people representative of the ruling Awami League of Bangladesh has shot dead a journalist named Abdul Hakim Shimul despite police presence in Bangladesh’s northern district Sirajganj. Hakim was a local and a correspondent at one of the top daily, National daily Samakal.
Additional Police Super Abul Hasnat said explaining the situation that, the two section of local Awami League got into a dispute when one section vacated Mayor Miru’s house on the allegation of beating the president of Shahjadpur Government College Chatra League Bijoy Mahmud on Thursday.
Shimul was hit by a bullet while covering the fight and died after he was taken to the hospital. However, additional SP Hasnat said that the police rushed to the scene as soon as the clash erupted. 43 rounds of bullet and 6 empty cartridges have been recovered from Mayor’s house, post the incident. Police are looking searching various places in order to arrest Mayor Miru since Friday night.
“I was there on the spot. The mayor opened fire ignoring my repeated requests. Only the mayor fired, no one else did. He fired several times,” Abul Hasnat said.
Protests have been going on since the death of the journalist in small towns nearby. The different organisation headed protest rally against the absconding mayor. Journalists have demonstrated agitation across the country including the capital Dhaka protesting the killing of Shimul.
Shimul’s wife Nurunnahar Begum filed a case against 18 people for the killing. Investigation officer of the case Sub-Inspector Kamal Debnath said besides investigation, police have detained three persons so far. They are the mayor’s brothers, Hafizul Haque Pintu and Habibul Haque Mintu, and Upazila Awami League leader KM Nasuruddin. Officer in charge of Shahzadpur police station Rezaul said the mayor’s shotgun has been seized already.
