Trial begins in Faruqi murder case after more than a decade, testimony set for December 6

A Dhaka court has ordered the start of trial in the murder and robbery case over the killing of television presenter Maulana Nurul Islam Faruqi at his home in East Rajabazar, more than a decade ago, framing charges against six accused.

On Sunday, Shahidul Islam, judge of the Ninth Additional Metropolitan Sessions Court in Dhaka, passed the order. The court also fixed December 6 for recording testimony in the case.

The accused facing trial are Abdullah Al Tasnim Nahid, Engineer alias Riaz alias Ripon, Abu Rayhan Mahmud Abdul Hadi, Hadisur Rahman Sagar, Mahmud Ibne Bashar and Rafiqul Islam Fardeen.

On the day, the accused who are out on bail — Abdullah Al Tasnim Nahid, Engineer alias Riaz alias Ripon and Abu Rayhan Mahmud Abdul Hadi — appeared in court. Lawyers including Zayedur Rahman filed applications seeking their discharge.

The accused Hadisur Rahman Sagar, who is in jail, was produced virtually. The other two accused, Mahmud Ibne Bashar and Rafiqul Islam Fardeen, remain fugitives.

State lawyer Aminul Islam Sarker argued in favour of framing charges. After the hearing, the court rejected the discharge applications and ordered the trial to begin.

According to the case statement, on August 27, 2014, miscreants hacked and slaughtered Maulana Nurul Islam Faruqi at his home in East Rajabazar, Dhaka. Faruqi's university-going son Faisal Faruqi filed the case.

Ten years after the incident, on November 5, 2024, the investigating officer, Additional Special Superintendent of Police K M Abul Kashem of the CID, submitted a charge sheet accusing six people. Although the case was filed as a murder case, the CID investigation brought charges of murder as well as robbery against the accused.

The case statement says police recovered Faruqi's body the same night after he was hacked and slaughtered. His son Faisal Faruqi filed a murder case with Sher-e-Bangla Nagar police station over the killing.

According to the first information report, at around 7 pm on the day of the incident, the miscreants rang the doorbell of Faruqi's home. When the door was opened, two men entered and sat with Faruqi in the drawing room.

A little later, six or seven more men entered the house. As there were not enough seats, Faruqi's maternal cousin Maruf Hossain went inside to bring chairs.

When he returned, he found the accused holding a pistol and a chopper to Faruqi's head. They then tied up everyone in the house and killed Faruqi.

The accused took cash, mobile phones, gold ornaments and a camera from the house.

With the trial beginning after more than a decade, the case has come back into discussion. Testimony will begin on December 6.