Mahmudul Alam, also known as Babu, a suspect in the murder of journalist Golam Rabbani in Bakshiganj, Jamalpur, has been taken into custody. An official from Jamalpur District Police confirmed this development to a popular daily.
Mahmudul Alam Babu, the Chairman of Sadhurpara Union Parishad (UP), also has been removed from his position as the General Secretary of Union Awami League due to his alleged connection with the murder of journalist Golam Rabbani Nadeem in Bakshiganj, Jamalpur. Bakshiganj Upazila Awami League President Shahina Begum and General Secretary Ismail Hossain Talukdar Babul signed a letter to expel him on Friday night.
Chairman of Sadhurpara Union Parishad
According to Jamal Hossain, the Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Debiganj Police Station in Panchagarh, he has heard reports that a Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) team arrested Mahmudul Alam from Char Tistapara in Chilahati Union on Saturday morning. However, the police have not received official confirmation regarding the arrest.
Lutfar Rahman, a member of Ward No. 3 of Chilahati Union Parishad, mentioned that a RAB team arrived around 5:30 in the morning and apprehended three individuals, including Mahmudul Alam. These three individuals had arrived at the house in Char Tistapara the previous Friday evening.
Golam Rabbani Nadeem held the position of Jamalpur district representative for the online news portal Bangla News 24.com. Additionally, he served as the news collector for Bakshiganj Upazila on Ekattor TV. Nadeem resided with his family in Garuhati Kacharipara, located within the city of the upazila.
What Happened?
Journalist Golam Rabbani Nadeem had been reporting on various alleged wrongdoings involving Mahmudul Alam Babu, who serves as the Chairman of Sadhurpara Union in Kashiganj Upazila and also holds the position of General Secretary of Union Awami League. Expressing his displeasure, Chairman Babu retaliated by filing a case against Nadeem under the Digital Security Act. However, the case was dismissed by the Mymensingh Cyber Tribunal last Wednesday. Nadeem shared an update about this on his Facebook account. A few hours later, Nadeem was assaulted while on his way home from the office. The attack was reportedly led by UP Chairman Babu and his son Fahim Faisal Rifat.
Journalist Al Mojahid Babu, who witnessed the incident, said that Nadeem was thrown from the moving motorcycle. Then Rifat, the son of chairman Mahmudul Alam Babu and his forces, dragged him to a dark side alley to beat him. At the time of the incident, Chairman Babu was standing in the dark in the street.
Following the attack, local residents rescued Nadeem, promptly taking him to Bakshiganj Hospital. Due to the severity of his condition, he was subsequently transferred to Jamalpur General Hospital during the night. Unfortunately, Nadeem’s health continued to worsen, and on Thursday morning, he was admitted to Mymensingh Medical College Hospital. Tragically, despite receiving medical treatment, he passed away later that day.
Nadeem’s funeral took place on Friday, with an outpouring of grief and respect. The first Janaza (funeral prayer) was held at Bakshiganj Noor Mohammad High School ground at 10 am, followed by the second Janaza at Nilaksia Eidgaon ground at 12 noon. Finally, Nadeem was laid to rest beside his grandparents’ graves in the family cemetery.
RAB’s shadow investigation
During a press briefing held at its Karwan Bazar media center, RAB spokesperson Commander Khandaker Al Moin stated that the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) is actively engaged in efforts to apprehend the perpetrators responsible for the brutal murder of journalist Golam Rabbani Nadeem in Bakshiganj, Jamalpur. Commander Moin mentioned that RAB immediately initiated an undercover investigation following the incident and has been carrying out raids with the aim of bringing the killers to justice. He emphasized that regardless of the offenders’ influence or power, they will soon face the consequences for their actions.
The RAB spokesperson expressed deep sadness regarding the journalist’s killing, acknowledging that it has caused a significant impact throughout the country. RAB-14 is dedicated to tracking down those involved in this incident, which has garnered widespread attention.
Strong response from Upazila Awami League
The expulsion letter from the Upazila Awami League stated, “The party’s reputation has suffered significant damage due to your (Mahmudul Alam) alleged involvement in the heinous murder of the journalist, which has been widely reported in the administration and various media. Moreover, your previous instances of disorganized activities and misconduct, as highlighted by the media, led to your removal from the position of General Secretary of Bangladesh Awami League, Sadhurpara Union Branch, and a temporary expulsion from the organization for breaching party discipline.”
Mahmudul Alam has been directed to provide a written response within seven working days of receiving the letter, explaining why he should not face permanent expulsion from the Upazila Awami League for his alleged violation of party discipline.
According to Md. Ismail Hossain Talukdar, the General Secretary of Upazila Awami League, the accusations against the chairman are not limited to the residents of Bakshiganj alone; people throughout Bangladesh are expressing their discontent. In response, the district Awami League leaders have decided to temporarily remove the chairman from his party position. As per the decision, he will be suspended, and a show-cause notice will be issued to him within seven days. Failure to respond to the notice within the given timeframe will result in his local party expulsion.
Findings from the Police Inquiry
After conducting an on-site investigation and meeting with the journalist Nadeem’s family, the Superintendent of Police Nashir Uddin Ahmed held a press conference where he revealed that Nadeem’s murder was orchestrated based on the orders of Mahmudul Alam Babu, the Chairman of Bakshiganj Union Parishad. The police have already apprehended 10 individuals after reviewing CCTV footage, and additional individuals involved in the crime have been identified. Currently, five police teams, including the LIC (Local Intelligence Cell), are actively working to apprehend all those involved in the journalist’s murder. The authorities expect to arrest Chairman Babu within the next two days.
According to Bakshiganj Press Club President M Shaheen Al Amin, the Superintendent of Police has provided assurance that all the accused individuals, including Chairman Babu, will be apprehended in the near future. In response to this, the journalists are determined to remain actively involved in the field until all the suspects are captured. They are committed to ensuring that justice is served and that all those responsible for the crime are brought to account.
Police make arrests after reviewing CCTV footage
Based on video footage analysis, the police have conducted raids in various locations within the upazila and, as of yesterday evening, apprehended 10 individuals. According to a police source, the arrested individuals include Golam Kibria alias Suman, Md. Tofazzal, Md. Kofil Uddin, Mohammad Aynal Haque, Md. Shahid, and Fazlul Haque. Their ages range from 28 to 35 years old. Golam Kibria and Aynal Haque are recognized in the locality as close associates of Chairman Mahmudul. The remaining detainees have been verified to be followers of the chairman.
