CoU & Cumilla Correspondents
Comilla University (CoU) students on Monday held a human chain and press conference demanding a fair investigation and quick trial in the murder of Ishayat Shahriar Opratim, alleging discrepancies and negligence in the investigation by Cumilla District Police.
The students gathered in front of the Faculty of Business Studies at 11am and later held the press conference, chanting slogans demanding justice and the execution of the killers.
They raised 12 points concerning the police investigation, including discrepancies in the ages of the accused and the description of them as miscreants rather than members of a juvenile gang. They alleged that despite filing a general diary on the night of September 18 after Opratim went missing, police showed no visible effort to trace him that night.
According to the students, police were informed about the location of the body before 12pm on September 19 but arrived at around 3pm. They also alleged that although accused Tuhin confessed that Opratim was killed at a farm, the forensic team collected no evidence from the site and failed to properly inspect it.
They questioned the handling of the police press briefing scheduled for 12pm on September 20, which was rescheduled to 1pm and eventually began around 2pm. They alleged that it ended before university journalists could arrive.
The students also questioned the arrest and release of accused Anas. They said several media outlets reported his arrest on September 19, but he was released the following day, while police later denied arresting him. Saif Hasan Jidni, a student of the Department of Pharmacy, said students witnessed Anas being taken into custody from the Ansar Camp near the university. He said subsequent reports indicated that Anas was released at 7am, while the Superintendent of Police reportedly claimed to be unaware of the matter.
The students demanded ossification tests to establish the actual ages of the accused and called for publication of the reports. They also urged investigations into previous allegations of motorcycle theft, possible political patronage and the activities of juvenile gangs and drug addicts in Kotbari and other areas of Cumilla.
Shahnaj, a student of the Department of Bengali, said, "The police are acting with double standards, concealing correct information and attempting to protect the criminals."
Najmul Hossain, another student, demanded maximum punishment for the offenders through a proper investigation.
Saif Hasan Jidni called for an internal investigation into the arrests and releases and an inquiry into whether money was involved in classifying one accused as 15 years old and sending him to a juvenile development centre instead of prison. He urged the Ministry of Home Affairs to form a special investigation team.
On the afternoon of September 18, Ishayat Shahriar Opratim, the 13-year-old son of Associate Professor Dr. Nahida Begum of the Department of Bengali, went missing after leaving his residence in Kotbari. His body was recovered near the university at 11am the following day. Police have arrested four individuals in connection with the case and presented them before the court.
On Sunday, university students blocked the Kotbari area on the Dhaka-Chittagong highway demanding justice and a proper investigation into Opratim's murder. #EK
