Munia’s family demands reinvestigation, punishment for Anvir

Family members of Mosarat Jahan Munia, a 21-year-old college student found dead in her Gulshan flat, have called for a reinvestigation of her rape and murder case.

The family is seeking an executive order for the reinvestigation and demanding exemplary punishment for the main accused, Bashundhara Group Managing Director Sayem Sobhan Anvir, and others allegedly involved in the case.

At a press conference held at Abdus Salam Hall of the National Press Club around 11:30am today (20 August), the family also requested assurances of their safety.

Nusrat Jahan Tania, the victim’s elder sister and the plaintiff in the case, accused the Bashundhara Group of attempting to use their influence to suppress the case.

“When I went to file a case at Gulshan Police Station, the land grabbers of Bashundhara tried to buy off the entire state machinery to cover up the incident of rape and murder,” Tania said.

She further alleged that several law enforcement officials, including the then-Inspector General of Police Benazir Ahmed, played a “shameless role in saving Anvir”.

Tania also criticised the investigation, claiming that Gulshan Police Station eventually cleared Anvir of wrongdoing and submitted their report.

Barrister M Sarwar, the lawyer representing Munia’s family, pointed out that three parties failed to ensure justice—the state, the investigators, and the court system. “The state should have supervised the case, but they were compromised. The Ministry of Home Affairs has a cell responsible for monitoring important cases, but they did not fulfil their duty,” Sarwar said.

He added, “Those who provided the investigation report and the court system were also compromised. Everyone knows it was the notorious Law Minister Anisul Huq who managed this. His chamber has destroyed the judiciary of Bangladesh.”

Tania expressed her frustration with not being able to meet Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, despite writing a 26-page letter to seek her attention. “If Sheikh Hasina had not given them shelter, people like Anvir wouldn’t have dared to become so reckless,” she said, adding that the Prime Minister even included Anvir in her entourage.

Despite the arrests of other accused individuals, such as Saifa Rahman Mim and Faria Mahbub Piyasha, Anvir was neither questioned nor detained. Tania concluded by appealing to the legal adviser and the chief adviser to ensure justice for her sister. “My sister might have made some mistakes, but the extreme injustice done to her must be addressed with exemplary punishment,” she said.

On 26 April 2021, police found the body of Munia hanging from a ceiling fan in her Gulshan flat. Tania initially filed a case accusing Anvir of incitement to suicide.

Tania claimed Munia was in a relationship with Anvir, who frequently visited her apartment.

On 19 July 2021, investigating officer Abul Hasan submitted a final report clearing Anvir of wrongdoing. However, on 6 September 2021, Tania filed a new case with Dhaka Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal 8, accusing Anvir and seven others of rape and murder.

The court, after recording the complaint, directed the Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI) to submit a report on it. The PBI submitted the final report in the case on 19 October 2023.