Mystery behind Sagira murder uncovered after 30yrs

Sagira Morshed Salam was killed 30 years ago. Family left the hope of justice thinking the incident as a mugging one. Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI) uncovered the mystery behind the killing after 30 years.

According to PBI, her (Sagira) brother-in-law had hired one of his patients with Tk 25,000 to teach her a lesson.

The information came to light after PBI arrested Maruf Reza (49), who was allegedly hired by the couple -- Dr Hasan Ali Chowdhury (70) and Sayedatul Mahmuda Shaheen (64).

On Jul 25, 1989, Sagira was going to pick her daughter from Viqarunnisa Noon School by rickshaw. Two people on a motorcycle waylaid and shot her in a bid to snatch her gold bangles. She died on her way to hospital.

Citing the statement of the rickshaw-puller, Banaj said Maruf shot Sagira after she identified Rezwan.

Maruf is a nephew of retired Maj Gen Mahmudul Hasan, the then home minister of the Jatiya Party government led by HM Ershad.

Banaj said the rickshaw-puller’s statement played a key role in identifying and arresting Rezwan on Nov 10 in Dhaka’s Rampura after the High Court lifted a stay order on the case and ordered the PBI on June 26 this year to complete further investigations in 60 days.

Rezwan then admitted to giving Maruf Tk 25,000 to execute the plan to “teach Sagira a lesson on instructions from Rezwan’s sister Shaheen and brother-in-law Hasan”.

Hasan and Shaheen were arrested on Nov 12 at Dhanmondi and Maruf at his home on Bailey Road the following day. The couple gave the statements in court on Wednesday and Rezwan and Maruf on Thursday.

Dhaka/Maksud/AKA