Authorities exhumed the remains of a former Khulna BNP official five months after his death during the national election to conduct a fresh autopsy as part of an ongoing murder investigation.
Photo Collected
Authorities in Khulna exhumed the body of former city BNP office secretary Mohibuzzaman Kochi on Monday, five months after his death during the national parliamentary elections. The exhumation at the Tutpara graveyard was conducted under the supervision of Executive Magistrate Nazmus Sakib following a court directive to facilitate a fresh autopsy. The remains were subsequently transported to the Khulna Medical College morgue for forensic examination.
The investigation into Kochi’s death, which has remained a subject of intense political scrutiny, is currently being handled by the Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI). The agency sought the court-ordered exhumation to resolve conflicting accounts regarding the cause of death. While legal proceedings were initiated by the BNP alleging foul play, opposing factions have maintained that Kochi died of a heart attack.
The legal battle stems from an incident on February 12 at the Khulna Alia Kamil Madrasa polling center, where Kochi was serving as an election agent for BNP candidate Nazrul Islam Manju. According to the case file, violence erupted when individuals began intimidating voters at the center. The complaint alleges that Kochi confronted these individuals and was subsequently assaulted, specifically claiming that the center’s acting principal, Abdur Rahim Sardar, grabbed Kochi by the throat and shoved him against a tree. Kochi was pronounced dead after being rushed to the Khulna City Medical College Hospital.
In the aftermath of the incident, political leaders expressed starkly different versions of events. Nazrul Islam Manju publicly accused the acting principal and his associates of orchestrating the killing, demanding immediate arrests and legal accountability. Conversely, local political figures associated with the opposing camp denied the allegations, insisting that the death was the result of natural causes.
Following the event, the victim’s family, struggling with grief, did not immediately file a formal complaint. Ultimately, Md. Yusuf Harun, former organizing secretary of the Khulna Sadar Thana BNP, filed a murder case in the court of the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate. The case names three individuals, including Abdur Rahim Sardar, alongside 15 to 20 unidentified suspects.
Yusuf Harun, who was present at the site during Monday’s exhumation, reiterated his demand for justice. He emphasized that the legal action was pursued to clear up the inconsistencies surrounding the incident and to ensure an impartial investigation into what he maintains was a targeted attack. The PBI is expected to submit its findings following the completion of the forensic analysis.
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