'Could someone kill a child like this for an iPhone?': Cumilla-6 MP seeks Apratim murder trial in 3 months
The lawmaker says he is ashamed that a child like Apratim could not be protected.
Cumilla-6 lawmaker Monirul Haque Chowdhury has called for the trial of those responsible for 13-year-old Apratim's murder to be completed within three months, saying he is ashamed that a child could not be protected.
Speaking to reporters after visiting the scene this afternoon (19 September), the lawmaker became emotional and questioned whether anyone could kill a child "for an iPhone".
"Could someone kill a child like this for an iPhone? I am ashamed. I apologise. As a human being, brother, I am ashamed. We could not protect children like Apratim," he said.
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He urged the prime minister and home minister to ensure the immediate arrest of those responsible and complete the trial within 90 days.
"I don't know what answer I will give after meeting Apratim's mother," he said, calling for the culprit to be arrested immediately and brought to book.
The lawmaker described Apratim's death as one of the shameful incidents in the nation's history and said the incident should awaken everyone's conscience.
"I have spoken to the superintendent of police and requested the immediate arrest of those responsible. He told me that effective measures are being taken," Monirul said.
Apratim, the only son of Cumilla University Bangla Department Associate Professor Dr Nahida Begum and KM Firoz Shahriar, was a seventh-grader at Border Guard Public School.
He went missing yesterday afternoon after leaving his home in Kotbari around 3:30pm with his mother's iPhone to take photos with friends after Jummah prayers.
His family searched for him, and his father filed a general diary at Sadar South Police Station that evening. Police also reviewed CCTV footage from his last known location and surrounding areas of Cumilla University.
Apratim's body was recovered around noon today from a jungle in Lalmai Sananda Pahar in Kotbari, near the university. Police said he had severe injuries to his head.
The body was sent to the morgue of Cumilla Medical College Hospital.
Sadar South Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Rakibul Islam said several people were being questioned, with some currently in police custody.
"Their names cannot be disclosed at this stage in the interest of the investigation," he added.
