Shammo murder: Protesters lay siege to Shahbagh Police Station demanding arrest of 'real culprits', issues 48-hr ultimatum

A group of protesters has given a 48-hour ultimatum for the arrest of the 'real' culprits behind the murder of Dhaka University (DU) student and Chhatra Dal leader Shahriar Alam Shammo. 

They gave this ultimatum and left after besieging Shahbagh Police Station for about one and a half hours, reports Prothom Alo. 

Earlier today (16 May), a group of students gathered in front of Raju Sculpture at around 11am and besieged the Shahbagh Police Station at around 11:45am. 

The students remained there until 1:30pm. They took position in front of Shahbagh Police Station under the banner 'General Students of Bangladesh'. 

The protesting students carried out this programme demanding immediate arrest of all suspects in Shammo's murder, a fair trial, and a safe campus.

Shammo's classmate, Mashiur Rahman Shubho, a master's student at the Institute of Education and Research, said that if the real suspects are not arrested within 48 hours, they will announce their next program on Sunday (18 May). 

The protesters first gathered in front of the Institute of Education and Research, where Shammo studied. Then they took a procession from Raju Sculpture and positioned themselves in front of the Shahbagh Police Station.

The students chanted various slogans, including 'My brother is in the grave, why is the killer outside', 'Why is the killer outside, what is the administration doing', 'Why did my brother die, Shahbagh Police Station, we demand an answer'. 

"The people whom the police arrested, even if they are involved, are not the main suspects. We need accountability for why the remaining suspects are not being caught," Shammo's classmate Toufik-ul Islam said. 

He warned that this non-violent movement will take another form if arrests are not made within 48 hours. 

Ibrahim Munshi, a student of the 27th batch of the Institute of Education and Research who was present at Shahbagh, said, "This is a non-partisan banner. Various political parties have started using Shammo's death for their agendas. Their main demands are resignations of various people, but our main demand is justice for Shammo's murder."

Mentioning that even after 72 hours of Shammo's murder, the person who stabbed him has not been arrested, Ibrahim said they have not come to attack anyone or demand resignations. 

He said the protesters came with demands for the arrest of the main suspect and justice.

During the programme, a delegation of protesters went to the Shahbagh Police Station for discussions. The delegation included department teachers Md Abdus Salam, Ashim Das, Md Sirajul Islam, and students. 

Later, the students left Shahbagh Police Station for the campus.​​

Khalid Mansur, officer in charge of Shahbagh Police Station, said, "A group of Dhaka University students came to the police station demanding justice for the murder of Sammu. We are not authorised to ensure justice— it's a court matter."

"However, efforts are underway to arrest the accused," he said.

"The students later left the police station," Khalid added. 

How was Shammo killed

Shahriar Alam Shammo was fatally stabbed by miscreants on Tuesday (13 May), near Suhrawardy Udyan.

According to sources, around 11:45pm, Shammo was returning to campus from Suhrawardy Udyan on a motorcycle with his university friends Ashraful Alam Rafi and Md Abdullah Al Baizid. 

As they reached the northern side of the Kali Temple, a group of 10-12 unidentified individuals hit their motorcycle, causing them to fall.

An argument broke out between Shammo and his friends and the group of attackers. 

During the altercation, the unidentified assailants physically assaulted them, punching and beating them with bricks. 

At one point, one of the attackers stabbed Shammo repeatedly in the back of his right thigh with a sharp weapon.

As Shammo lay critically injured and bleeding on the ground, the assailants threatened him and his friends with various forms of intimidation before fleeing the scene.

Shammo was later rescued and taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH), where the on-duty doctor declared him dead.

Md Faruk, in-charge of the DMCH police outpost, confirmed the death, citing hospital sources. 

"There was a deep wound on his right leg caused by a sharp weapon. The body has been kept at the morgue for autopsy," he said.

On Thursday (14 May), police arrested three individuals in connection with the murder in a case filed against 10-12 people with Shahbagh Police Station.