A Dhaka court has officially accepted the charge sheet submitted by the Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI) regarding the tragic murder of Tofazzal Hossain, a mentally challenged man who was beaten to death at Dhaka University’s Fazlul Haque Muslim Hall.
On Tuesday, Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Jewel Rana accepted the charge sheet filed against 28 individuals in connection with the incident. Following the acceptance, the court issued arrest warrants for 22 of the accused who currently remain at large.
Legal Status of the Accused
According to the court proceedings, out of the 28 accused individuals:
- In Custody: Jalal Mia, Al Hossain Sajjad, Mottakin Sakin Shah, and Suman Mia are currently detained in jail.
- On Bail: Ahsan Ullah (also known as Bipul Sheikh) and Wazibul Alam have been granted bail.
- Fugitives: The remaining 22 individuals are currently fugitives, prompting the court to issue warrants for their immediate arrest.
Prosecution official SI Jinnat Ali confirmed that while the plaintiff, Mohammad Amanullah, had previously expressed dissatisfaction with the initial investigation, no formal objection (naraji) was filed regarding this latest charge sheet, leading the court to proceed with the acceptance today.
Background of the Incident
The incident, which shocked the nation, occurred on the night of September 18, 2024. Tofazzal Hossain, aged 32, was held captive and subjected to brutal torture in the guest room of Fazlul Haque Muslim Hall over suspicions of theft. A video that circulated on social media captured a harrowing scene where the victim was fed a meal by some students while being interrogated before the beating commenced. He was later taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital at midnight, where the attending physician declared him dead.
A case was filed the following day, September 19, at the Shahbagh Police Station by the university’s estate office supervisor, Mohammad Amanullah.
Initially, the police investigation resulted in a charge sheet against 21 individuals. However, following dissatisfaction raised by the Dhaka University administration regarding the investigation’s thoroughness, a Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate ordered the PBI to reinvestigate the matter on February 26 of last year.
After completing the reinvestigation, PBI Additional Superintendent Hannanul Islam submitted the new charge sheet on December 15, expanding the list of accused to 28 persons.
