Four people have been arrested so far on suspicion of being involved in the brutal murder of businessman Lal Chand Sohag on the premises of Sir Salimullah Medical College Mitford Hospital in Old Dhaka. On Friday, RAB-10 arrested accused Monir Hossain and Alamgir Hossain from Keraniganj. Earlier, the police had arrested Mahmudul Hasan Mohin and Tarique Rahman Robin.

Police and locals have confirmed the identities of four more people after reviewing CCTV footage. They are Mitford Hospital outsourcing employee Md. Monir, ambulance driver Nannu, recently expelled member secretary of Chawkbazar Thana Chhatra Dal Apu Das, and former member of Chawkbazar Thana Jubo Dal Sarwar Hossain Titu.

The Jubo Dal, the Swechchhasebak Dal and the Chhatra Dal yesterday expelled five people named in the incident from their organizations for life.

Another video of the murder was found on Friday. It shows Sohag being hit with large rocks and bricks. Police are trying to confirm their identities.

Deputy Commissioner of Lalbagh Division of Dhaka Metropolitan Police Mohammad Jasim Uddin told that Mohin and Robin are being interrogated on remand. Mohin claims that he allowed Sohag to run the shop named Sohana Metal. However, when he did not receive the money as promised, a dispute arose between them. As a result, Mohin locked the shop two-three days before the incident. On Wednesday, Sohag broke the lock and opened the shop. Enraged by this, Mohin and his associates immediately committed the murder. However, after the murder, they tried to divert the incident. They left the body on the street and shouted slogans against extortion. Through this, they tried to show the incident as an extortionist killed in a mob lynching.

The deputy commissioner said that the police have not yet found any evidence of extortion against the deceased Sohag.

Sources said that there are old political cases against the accused Mohin. However, no information has been found yet about his involvement in murder or major crimes. He was a leader of the Thana Chhatra Dal during his student life. Later, he joined the Jubo Dal but did not hold any post. His mother is an employee of Mitford Hospital. The mother of arrested Robin is an employee of Salimullah Medical College.

New CCTV footage shows Sohag lying motionless. A young man wearing a sky-blue shirt and jeans is repeatedly hitting him with a large rock. After this, another young man wearing a blue-and-white shirt and gray pants picks up the rock and starts hitting him again. Another man wearing a black shirt and blue jeans is hitting him on the head with a brick. In the picture, Mohin is seen walking there. People from the surrounding area saw the scene, but no one stepped forward.

Rajni Bose Lane Sohag's business Sohana Metal is located on Rajni Bose Lane in the Mitford area. When you go there, you can see rows of old buildings on both sides of the road. Small shops on the ground floor. Almost everything is made of new and old copper, bronze, brass, and aluminum. The shops were closed yesterday as it was Friday. Locals said that there are at least three hundred such shops in the Mitford area, including Rajni Bose Lane and Imamganj.

There are allegations that many of these shops sell stolen goods. Every month, these traders are charged a hefty sum of money. In addition, a separate fee is charged for large purchases.

A local source claims that Sohag used to collect donations from businessmen. However, a large part of it used to go to local Awami League leaders. In return, they would protect the businessmen from police harassment and other troubles. This system changed after August 5. The 6 lakh taka collected as donations was given to Ishaq Sarkar, the former central organizing secretary of the Jubo Dal, through Mohin. Recently, preparations were underway to remove Sohag and give Mohin the responsibility of collecting donations. The dispute began when Sohag did not agree to it.

However, Ishaq Sarkar told Samakal, "This allegation is completely false. However, I have heard that Sohag used to collect donations and in the past, Awami League leaders used to receive that money. It has nothing to do with me. Besides, Mohin is not my employee. Rather, Mohin was involved in the attack on me earlier. Later, however, he came to me and apologized."

At one point, he said, "But Sohag came to me two-three months ago and offered to give me money. I did not agree to it. I told him, I am in politics; I intend to become a candidate in the future. Don't come to me with these nonsense matters." Ishaq Sarkar said, "A few days ago, business leaders informed me about the dispute between Sohag and Mohin over business. They expressed their fear that something bad might happen. In the interest of maintaining peace and order in the area, I asked Sohag and Mohin not to create any trouble. I advised them to do business together."

Former Jubo Dal leader Rajab Ali Pintu, a follower of Ishaq, has also been made an accused in the murder case. In this regard, Ishaq Sarkar said that he was implicated in the case due to political enmity. He has no involvement in the incident. Even the plaintiff did not make him an accused. His name was somehow added later.

Although the deceased Sohag was accused of extortion, his relatives say that there was no such incident. The deceased's niece, Sadia Akhter Meem, said, "Mohin and others were demanding half of my uncle's (Sohag's) business and a large sum of money. My uncle did not agree. This is what caused the dispute. In the end, he killed me. Now, false allegations of extortion are being made to divert the incident."

The deceased Sohag was associated with the Jubo Dal. It is not confirmed whether he held any position in the organization. However, a photo circulating on Facebook shows him standing behind the general secretary of the Jubo Dal at an event of the organization.

Jubo Dal General Secretary Mohammad Nurul Islam Nayan told, "There was a culture of denying when party leaders and activists did wrong. But we are not denying it. Rather, we are taking action against them. Jubo Dal is a very big organization. Many leaders and activists are active here. We expect everyone to organize well. But in reality, one or two people cannot hold that ideological position. In that case, we take action. Mohin, accused in the murder, does not have any position in Jubo Dal, but is a candidate for a position. He used to be a member of Chhatra Dal. He was expelled from that organization."

Five members of Jubo Dal, Swechchhasebak Dal and Chhatra Dal expelled
Jubo Dal said in a press release that former Jubo Dal Central Executive Committee Secretary for Easy Air Affairs Rajab Ali Pintu, accused in the Sohag murder case, and joint convener of Dhaka Metropolitan South Jubo Dal Sabah Karim Lucky have been expelled from the party for life along with cancellation of their primary membership.

A Chhatra Dal press release said that Apu Das, member secretary of Chawkbazar Thana Chhatra Dal, has been suspended from all positions in the organization for life, including the cancellation of his primary membership, on specific charges of violating organizational discipline. In a separate release at night, arrested Mohin was also informed of the expulsion from the organization.

The Volunteer Party said in a statement that Kalu alias Swechchhasebak Kalu has been expelled from the party for life along with cancellation of his primary membership as he is accused in the murder case.

Police press release
After the sensational murder, a press release was sent by the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) yesterday. It said that the police have collected CCTV footage from the scene and arrested the accused Mahmudul Hasan Mohin and Tarique Rahman Robin, who are involved in the murder. At that time, a foreign pistol was recovered from Robin.

Initially, it was learned that the incident occurred due to a business dispute and past enmity. Police operations are ongoing to investigate the real cause of the incident and arrest others involved. The RAB has arrested two more people involved in the incident, the release said.

Whoever the culprit is, he is not above the law:
Condemning and protesting the murder of Mirza Fakhrul Sohag, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said, whoever the culprit is, his place can never be above the law and justice. This brutal incident has deeply shaken the conscience of the people of the country after the fall of the Awami fascist government in the mass movement of July-August.

In a statement yesterday, the BNP Secretary General expressed concern over the incident and said, "This heinous incident is not just a loss of life; it is an expression of deep disappointment in the protection of state security, civil rights and law and order. Our organization's policies, ideology and politics have nothing to do with terrorism and barbarity." He called for bringing the real criminals under the law and setting an example of exemplary punishment.

In a response to the incident, BNP standing committee member Salahuddin Ahmed said that the accused members of Jubo Dal, Swechchhasebak Dal and Chhatra Dal have been expelled for life in the murder. BNP's position is 'zero tolerance'. Despite this, blaming BNP is dirty and unpolitical. This is the practice of dirty politics.

Storm of condemnation over Sohag's murder
Jamaat-e-Islami has protested against the brutal murder of Sohag and the heinous barbarity on his body. Pointing to BNP, they said, "The question of the countrymen, the party leaders who nurture extortionists and terrorists, how safe are the lives and property of the people in the hands of that party? If this party comes to power, the country, nation and state can never be safe." Jamaat Secretary General Mia Golam Parwar said these things in a statement yesterday.

Shibir President Zahidul Islam and Secretary General Nurul Islam Saddam condemned the killing. A protest march from Jagannath University to Salimullah Medical College has been announced today.

Maulana Muhammad Imtiaz Alam, joint secretary general of the Islamic Movement led by Charmonai Pir and Dhaka Metropolitan South President, said that the nation is shocked and speechless by the killing of businessman Sohag by stoning. BNP must clarify what message the Jubo Dal terrorists want to send to the nation through this murder.

The Islamic Youth Movement held a protest march in Purana Paltan at around 9 pm yesterday and the Islamic Students' Movement held a protest march at Dhaka University at night to protest the killing.

Mass Solidarity Movement Chief Coordinator Jonayed Saki and Executive Coordinator Abul Hasan Rubel said in a statement, "Such incidents are creating panic in the minds of the people. The interim government must strictly control the law and order situation."

Salimullah Medical College students demand security
Students and interns of Sir Salimullah Medical College held a protest march at Mitford Hospital around 8:30 pm. They demanded justice for the murder and strict punishment for those involved. They demanded security in the Mitford Hospital area. They demanded security for the residential halls of students and interns. They also demanded an end to extortion by setting up shops on the sidewalks where students move.

Protests at various educational institutions including DU
Students and Chhatra Dal activists of Dhaka University have taken out a protest march to protest the murder of Sohag. The march started from the university's Halpara around 8 pm yesterday. Later, they gathered at the VC's premises and ended the march at the foot of the Raju statue. At that time, they demanded that justice be ensured for the murder.

Jagannath University (JU) students have taken out a protest march to protest the BNP's extortion and terrorist activities across the country, including the murder of Sohag. At the rally, the students demanded speedy justice for the brutal murder of Sohag and other murders committed across the country.

In addition, students of Jahangirnagar University, Rajshahi University, Islamic University and Begum Rokeya University, as well as leaders and activists of various student organizations, held a protest march at night to protest the killing.

Allegation of omission of three names in the complaint
Relatives have alleged that the names of the three accused given by the family in the Sohag murder case were omitted and three others were made accused. The deceased's elder sister's daughter, Bithi Akhter, said that three people named Qayum Molla, Rakesh and Rahim from Bangshal area were made accused numbers 17, 18 and 19 respectively in the case. But the police omitted their names without the consent of the plaintiff and made Apu Das, Himmat Ali and Anisur Rahman Howlader accused at that place.

In this regard, the Deputy Commissioner of the Lalbagh Division of the Police said, "The relatives of the deceased did not know the names of any of the people involved. We have included those whose involvement we have found in the list of accused. They wanted to make three people accused because there was a verbal altercation at a yellow event. But initially, no information was found about their involvement in the murder. Later, if the investigation finds any involvement, they will also be made accused."
The deceased's wife, Lucky Begum, said, "The accused had been demanding a ransom of 2 lakh taka from my husband. They also wanted to take over the business establishment. When my husband refused to pay, he was brutally killed."

Sohag's body was buried at around 10 am yesterday after the funeral prayer at Bandargachhia, Dhalua Union No. 7, Barguna Sadar Upazila, his village home.