Ex-MP Fazle Karim shown arrested in another murder case

A Chattogram court has ordered authorities to show former Awami League lawmaker ABM Fazle Karim Chowdhury arrested in a murder case filed over the killing of a madrasah student on 5 August last year.

Chattogram Metropolitan Magistrate SM Alauddin Mahmud passed the order today (15 July) following a hearing on a petition submitted by the case's investigating officer.

Mofiz Uddin, additional deputy commissioner (prosecution) of Chattogram Metropolitan Police, confirmed the development. 

He said Fazle Karim was not physically produced before the court but attended the hearing virtually from prison.

The case was filed on 1 July at the Kotwali police station by Md Suruj Mia, a resident of Chattogram's Khalifapatti area, nearly 11 months after the incident. The complaint names 35 individuals, including former foreign minister Hasan Mahmud, former education minister Mohibul Hasan Chowdhury Nowfel, Fazle Karim Chowdhury and his son Faraz Karim Chowdhury, along with 100 to 150 unnamed accused.

According to the case statement, the victim - 21-year-old Nizam Uddin, a student in the Hifz section of a madrasa in Baklia's Shantinagar area - was shot and critically wounded during a public gathering of students and citizens on 5 August at Laldighi Maidan. The attack was allegedly carried out by members of the Awami League, Jubo League, and Chhatra League. Nizam later died at Chattogram Medical College Hospital.

Fazle Karim, the former MP of Chattogram-6 (Raozan), was arrested on 12 September last year while allegedly attempting to flee to India. He was detained by the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) from Abdullahpur in Akhaura border area of Brahmanbaria.

Since then, he has been in jail. 

At least 12 cases have so far been filed against him in connection with attacks on demonstrators, murder, attempted murder, and corruption. 

Police have also taken him on remand multiple times for questioning in several of these cases.