Rickshaw puller's death in uprising: Ghost case adds to distress of widow

On 19 July, during the anti-quota movement – which later escalated into a mass uprising leading to the ouster of the Awami League government – a rickshaw puller was killed in police firing in Shantinagar, Dhaka.

His wife later filed a murder case with Paltan Police Station. Several Awami League leaders, including former deputy speaker Shamsul Haque Tuku and former state minister Zunaid Ahmed Palak, have been arrested in connection with the case and they are now behind bars.

The killing of Kamal Mia has left his family devastated while his wife, Fatema Khatun, now the sole breadwinner, struggles to support their four children.

Fatema, who has a modest job at Anjuman Mofidul Islam, a welfare organisation, shared the plight in managing her family expenses, which have taken precedence over pursuing justice for her husband's death.

The situation took a controversial turn when Fatema learned that another case had been filed on 30 October by a man named KM Shahriar Shuvo.

A total of 281 individuals, including ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina, some senior Awami League leaders, and 16 Public Works Department (PWD) officials were named as the accused in the case.

Fatema expressed her confusion, saying, "I don't know anyone named Shahriar Shuvo. He's not a relative. Why would he file another case on our behalf?" She also mentioned receiving unwanted contacts from some of the accused, adding to her distress. Some are even visiting her house and workplace.

Her story underscores the need for systemic reforms to ensure justice and prevent exploitation in cases involving vulnerable families.

Fatema's plight illustrates the ongoing struggle for justice and financial stability. Despite the legal and political entanglements surrounding her husband's murder, she focuses on raising her children Anika Akhter (21), Suravi Akhter (18), Suraiya Akhter (16), and Yasin (10).

Anika attends a madrasa in Rampura, Suraiya is in class eight at Begum Rahima High School in Segunbagicha, and Yasin is enrolled in another madrasa.

Recounting the tragic evening of July 19, Suraiya said, "A boy came and said, 'Your father has been shot.' I ran to Bottola and saw two men carrying my father, covered in blood, into a CNG-run autorickshaw.

"Despite my pleas to accompany them, they left for the hospital without me. My father's blood-soaked face still haunts me."

Who is the ghost complainant? 

Investigations revealed that KM Shahriar Shuvo is the younger brother of KM Nazmul Islam, a former contractor of the PWD.

According to Rafiq Howlader, general secretary of the Public Works Department Contractors' Association, Nazmul and Shuvo operated under the influence of former Housing and Public Works Secretary Kazi Wasi Uddin during the Awami League regime.

Rafiq noted that the brothers leveraged their political connections to secure contracts and intimidate officials.

Recently, Nazmul Islam was expelled from the contractors' association on corruption charges, he said. "Despite this, he [Nazmul] filed the new case through his brother, apparently to harass officials [named in the case] and demand extortion under the pretext of Kamal's murder."

The address provided by Shuvo in the case's documents raised further questions. A visit to the listed residence in Dhanmondi-15 revealed that Shuvo had never lived there.

The homeowner, Jasim Uddin, said, "No one named Shahriar Shuvo has ever lived here. However, people have been visiting, claiming this address was used in a case regarding the murder of a rickshaw puller. It's now causing us harassment."

Talebur Rahman, deputy commissioner (Media) of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police, stated that duplicate murder cases are prohibited.

"Instructions have been issued to prevent extortion and harassment stemming from such cases. Legal actions are being considered against those filing fraudulent cases," he told The Business Standard.

Shahriar Shuvo, his brother KM Nazmul Islam, and their lawyer Abul Kalam Azad declined to comment on the case.