Staff Correspondent: Thursday is scheduled to announce the verdict of the case of the murder of actor Sohail Chowdhury 25 years ago. Judge Arunabh Chakraborty of Dhaka Speedy Trial Tribunal-2 will announce this verdict.
Lawyers and court-related sources say that five of the 9 accused in the case are absconding. They are businessman Aziz Mohammad Bhai alias Abdul Aziz, Trump Club owner Afaqul Islam alias Bunty Islam, Salim Khan, Haroon Or Rashid alias Leather Litton alias Boss Litton and Adnan Siddiqui. Apart from this, accused Ashish Roy Chowdhury alias Bottle Chowdhury, Tariq Saeed Mamun and Farooq Abbasi are on bail. And Sanjidul Islam Imon is in prison.
According to the documents of the case and the information of the state party, on December 17, 1998, Sohel Chowdhury was shot dead by terrorists in front of the Trump Club in Banani of the capital. Later, the investigation of the Detective Police (DB) revealed that Sohail Chowdhury was killed by hired killers due to a dispute with the discussed businessman Aziz Mohammad Bhai, Trump Club owner Banti Islam and Ashish Roy Chowdhury.
The year after the murder, a charge sheet was filed against Ashish Roy Chowdhury and nine others. Two years later, in 2001, the trial was ordered. When an accused went to the High Court challenging that order, the proceedings were stalled. Later, by the order of the High Court, the trial started again in 2022, said the counsel for the state.
Meanwhile, 17 years ago, the then inspector of police Farid Uddin took the investigation documents (case docket) of the Sohel Chowdhury murder case from the PP office of Dhaka city. APP Sadia Afrin said that he could not present it to the court despite the court order.
According to the statement of the case and the statement of the witnesses given to the police, Sohail’s dispute with Aziz Mohammad Bhai, Aziz’s relative Bunty Islam, Bunty’s friend Ashish Roy Chowdhury started from an incident on July 24, 1998. Because of this, Sohail Chowdhury was killed by mercenaries in front of the Trump Club. In the deposition, the eyewitnesses described the killing of Sohail Chowdhury.
Witnesses said that Sohail and his friends asked Banani to stop playing at Trump Club that night. Sohail had an argument with Aziz Mohammad Bhai about stopping the music. At one point, Sohail Chowdhury got mad at Aziz. Sohail’s friend Kala Nasir then went to shoot Aziz Mohammad Bhai. At that time, Aziz Mohammad Bhai defended himself by entering the bathroom of the club. This Trump Club was owned by Bunty and Ashish. This is where the conflict begins.
According to the documents in the case, the Trump Club was operating on the seventh floor of Abedin Tower in Banani. There was a Jame Masjid on the west side of the club. Several witnesses said in the deposition that anti-social activities including dancing and singing were going on in that club. Sohail Chowdhury took a stand for the local Muslims to stop the anti-social activities of the club.
It is said in the charge sheet that Sohail Chowdhury tried to close the club with the people of the mosque committee and failed. Sohel Chowdhury had a problem with Aziz Mohammad Bhai about this. The accused threatened to look after Sohail Chowdhury if the work of the Trump Club was disrupted.
After Sohail Chowdhury’s trouble with Aziz Mohammad Bhai at the July 24 party, he was banned from entering the Trump Club. The employees of the club also informed the police then.
Sohail Chowdhury’s mother Noorjahan Begum told the court that Banani’s Trump Club used to have anti-social activities. The mosque committee and worshipers next to the club protested this.
Aziz and Sohail conflict
State witness Mirza Mahafuz, who witnessed the incident between Aziz Mohammad Bhai and Sohail Chowdhury, testified before the court and the police. In the statement under section 161, he told the police that on July 24, 1998, he went to the club with his wife at around 10 pm. Then Aziz Mohammad Bhai came to the club. Aziz Mohammad asks his wife to sing. On the other hand, Sohail Chowdhury and some of his friends asked them to stop singing. At one stage, Sohel Chowdhury and his party came in front of Mahafuj’s table. Then they asked a woman sitting next to Aziz Mohammad Bhai to come up. When the woman did not get up, Sohail Chowdhury got more angry and went to beat her.
Another witness in the case is Gholam Mohammad. He is Sohail’s friend. As a witness, he told the judge in his statement under section 164 that Sohail Chowdhury had a quarrel with Aziz Mohammad Bhai before the murder. This happened in front of him. Apart from this, Sohail quarreled two to three times with Bunty Islam of the Trump Club. Later it is settled. However, Ashish Roy Chowdhury alias Bottle had a fight and a fight. Ashish Chowdhury threw Sohail Chowdhury out of the club. He also threatened Sohail not to come to the club in the future.
15 days before the murder, Sohail was threatened by telephone
About the murder of Sohel Chowdhury, his mother Noorjahan Begum told the court that Trump Club is opposite their house. Sohail returned home at two o’clock on the day of the murder. Jame Masjid in front of the club. Later, when Sohail went back to the club, the terrorists shot him twice and he fell to the ground. Sohail Chowdhury’s mother also told the court that 15 to 20 days before Sohail’s murder, Aziz Mohammad Bhai and Banti Islam’s men had threatened to kill him over the phone. They said that the day of Sohail’s death is approaching.
How to kill
As to how Sohail Chowdhury was shot, the charge sheet says that Sohail Chowdhury wanted to enter the club that day. But he was returned without permission to enter the club. Later, Sohel Chowdhury came again in front of the club at around three o’clock in the night. Sohail Chowdhury was then shot dead by professional killers.
Abul Kalam, the witness of the case, said in his statement given to the police, that day seven to eight people including Sohail went in front of the club and were suddenly shot. He was shot in the stomach. He fainted. Nirav and Dayan were also shot by the terrorists. And Sohail was shot and died. After the shooting, Emon, Mamun, Liton, Farooq fled in a car. Aziz Mohammad Bhai, Banti Islam and Ashish Roy Chowdhury had a previous quarrel with Sohail and this murder was done by a cold-hearted hired killer.
