Trial begins for 2025 Mitford Hospital merchant murder case
Photo Collected
The murder trial of businessman Lal Chand, known as Sohag, began in earnest on Monday at the Dhaka First Additional Metropolitan Sessions Judge’s Court, with the victim’s sister providing a harrowing account of the public execution. Sohag, 39, was killed on July 9, 2025, in front of the Sir Salimullah Medical College Hospital (Mitford Hospital) in Old Dhaka, an event that sparked widespread public outrage after video footage of the attack circulated on social media.
Manjuara Begum, the victim’s sister and the plaintiff in the case, testified as the first prosecution witness. She described to Judge Alamgir Hossain how a group of men—identified as Mahin, Titu, Lomba Monir, Chhoto Monir, Sajib, Rajib, Ruman Bepari, Abir Hossain, Alamgir, Apu Das, Abhi, Titon Gazi, and Robin, among others—surrounded her brother and subjected him to a brutal beating. According to her testimony, the assailants struck Sohag with bricks and stones before using a concrete boulder to crush his head as he lay incapacitated. She further alleged that some of the perpetrators stood atop the victim’s body in an act of celebration to ensure he was dead.
Manjuara Begum told the court that she arrived at the scene shortly after the incident, where witnesses and local shop employees recounted the details of the assault. She subsequently filed the murder case after reviewing CCTV footage of the crime. During cross-examination, defense attorneys challenged her account, suggesting she was not an eyewitness to the event and claiming the litigation was motivated by a failure to extort money from the accused. Manjuara categorically rejected these allegations, labeling them as entirely false.
The proceedings at this court have faced prior disruptions; on July 19, an accused individual expressed a lack of confidence in the presiding judge, leading to a temporary suspension of the trial. However, the Dhaka Metropolitan Sessions Judge’s Court ordered the case to remain in the current court on July 27.
According to police investigations, the murder stemmed from a business dispute, as several of the suspects were formerly associated with the victim. Following a formal investigation, lead investigator Shah Faisal Ahmed submitted a charge sheet against 21 suspects on May 10. The court formally framed charges against all 21 individuals on July 12. Of those charged, 10 are currently in custody, eight remain at large, and three are out on bail. State prosecutor Billal Hossain confirmed that the court has scheduled the next phase of witness testimony for August 13.
0%
0%
0%
0%
