Charges pressed against Babul Akter, 6 others, in Mitu murder case

The Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI) has pressed charges against seven people, including former superintendent of police (SP) Babul Akter, mentioning him as the prime accused in his wife Mitu's murder case.

"PBI Inspector (Metro) Abu Zafar Mohammad Omar Farooq, also the investigation officer of the case, submitted the chargesheet on Tuesday to the prosecution wing of Chattogram court," Abu Yusuf, additional superintendent of PBI Headquarters told The Business Standard.

According to the chargesheet, Babul Akter had an extra marital affair with a woman. Following an argument over the relation, his wife Mahmuda Akter Mitu was murdered, planned by Babul. To execute his plan to murder his wife, Babul hired a professional killer, paying Tk3lakh for the job through an intermediary. 

Babul, the plaintiff of the murder case, was made the prime accused in the chargesheet. The six others accused are Md Kamrul Islam Sikder Musa, Ehteshamul Huq Bhola, Md Motaleb Mia alias Wasim, Md Anwar Hossain, Md Khairul Islam alias Kalu, and Shahjahan Mia.

Of them, Babul, Wasim, Shahjahan and Anwar are in jail, while Ehtesham has secured bail. Musa and Kalu are absconding.

The PBI has recommended the acquittal of four others in the murder case. They are Saidul Islam Sikder alias Sakku, Nurunnabi, Md Rashed, and Abu Naser. 

Of them, Nurunnabi and Md Rashed were killed in reported gunfights with police in the week after Mitu's murder. 

On 5 June 2016, Mitu was stabbed and shot dead when she was walking her son to his school's bus stop at the port city's GEC intersection. Babul had filed a murder case with the police station.

Babul was sacked in August of that year after interrogation at the intelligence office.

In 2017, Mitu's father started suspecting Babul himself was involved in the murder, saying  Babul had done nothing but pretend since the murder.

In January 2020, the Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI) was assigned to investigate the case.

Later, the PBI interrogated Babul again in custody and found his involvement in the case.

On 12 May 2021, the PBI submitted a 575-page final report of the case to the court.

On the same day, Mitu's father Mosharraf Hossain filed a murder case with Panchlaish Police Station in Chattogram, accusing eight people, including Babul. 

Showing him arrested in that case, the PBI grilled Babul on remand. He has remained in jail since 17 May last year.