Cocktail Attack Targets Key Witness in High-Profile Murder Case in Dhaka
Photo Collected
Unidentified assailants launched a cocktail attack on the residence of businessman Afroz Uddin in Dhaka’s Mirpur area on Tuesday, escalating tensions surrounding a high-profile murder trial that has spanned nearly two decades. No injuries were reported in the incident, which saw a projectile strike a pickup truck parked outside the home, triggering a small fire that residents extinguished using portable equipment.
According to police and witnesses, two individuals arrived on a battery-operated rickshaw at approximately 12:30 p.m. and hurled the explosive before fleeing the scene. Afroz Uddin, who serves as the plaintiff in the murder case of his brother, Aftab Uddin, stated that the attack is the latest in a series of threats intended to coerce him into dropping the prosecution. He noted that he had previously filed multiple general diaries with the Mirpur police regarding intimidation attempts by the accused, who allegedly include operatives of the fugitive underworld figure Shahadat Hossain.
Mirpur police station officer-in-charge Md. Hafizur Rahman confirmed that law enforcement has initiated an investigation, leveraging closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage to identify and apprehend the suspects. Authorities suspect the attack was carried out by individuals associated with the ongoing murder trial.
The origins of the case date back to December 2005, when Aftab Uddin, a prominent local businessman and general secretary of the Muktabangla Shopping Complex management committee, was shot near his home and succumbed to his injuries three days later. Afroz Uddin subsequently filed a murder case against 19 suspects, including top-listed criminals Shahadat and Khorshed, alleging the killing was retribution for Aftab’s refusal to pay extortion demands. While Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) investigators submitted a charge sheet, the legal proceedings have been marked by protracted delays, political interventions, and jurisdictional shifts.
The trial, currently pending before the Dhaka Speedy Trial Tribunal-3, has faced significant disruptions since its inception. In 2010, the government of the time attempted to strike the case from the records, labeling it politically motivated—a move that was later overturned by the High Court. Despite the court’s mandate to proceed, Afroz Uddin reports that the defendants have utilized their influence to delay hearings through repeated adjournment requests and legal counter-maneuvers.
As the case remains in the testimony phase, the 99-year-old mother of the victim, Afroza Begum, has expressed deep distress, fearing she may not live to see a verdict. Afroz Uddin voiced similar concerns regarding the integrity of the judicial process, stating that the accused—many of whom are allegedly operating from abroad—have successfully obstructed justice for 21 years through threats, harassment, and influence peddling.
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