Police are yet to arrest BNP leader MA Quayum and shooter Sohel, the masterminds of Italian citizen Cesare Tavella murder.
On September 28, 2015, Cesare Tavella, 50, was shot dead by the assailants riding a motorcycle while jogging in front of the German development cooperation building in Dhaka's Gulshan diplomatic zone.
On June 27 this year, police pressed charges against seven people, including BNP leader MA Quayum, in the murder case. Quayum is a joint convener of BNP's Dhaka city unit and also a former ward commissioner of DCC. Five others charge-sheeted accused are Tamjid Ahmed Rubel, Russel Chowdhury, Minhajul Arefin, also known as Bhagne Russel, Sohel alias Bhangari Sohel, supplier of firearms, and Shakhawat Hossain Sharif, who provided the motorcycle used in the killing, said detectives. Of the accused, five are now in jail while Quayum and Sohel are still at large.
The attack raised concern about the security of foreign nationals, prompting some countries to issue travel alert for their citizens in Bangladesh. Investigators said Quayum had planned the murder of Tavella as part of a conspiracy to create anarchy, put pressure on the government and send a message to foreigners that they were not safe in Bangladesh. Quayum's brother Matin hired three killers to kill a "white man" (foreigner) and Tavella became their prey, they added.
Police are yet to recover the firearms used in the killing. Family members of the arrestees had earlier claimed that they were not involved in the killing and were forced to give statements before a Dhaka court.
