Another suspect was arrested yesterday for the murder of journalist Asaduzzaman Tuhin in Gazipur on Thursday night.
A team of Rab-14 Kishoreganj arrested Shahidul Islam, 30, in Puran Bazar area of the district's Itna Sadar upazila, said Rab-14 (CPC-2) Squadron Leader Ashraful Kabir.
With Shahidul, all eight suspects in the murder of Asaduzzaman have been arrested.
Ashraful said Shahidul had fled to Itna after the killing. "We located and arrested him with the help of IT-based tracking. He was handed over to Rab-1 in Karimganj, who will take him to Gazipur."
Meanwhile, Gazipur Metropolitan Police (GMP) Commissioner Nazmul Karim Khan at a press conference at GMP headquarters said that a charge sheet against the accused would be submitted within 15 days of receiving the autopsy report.
"The journalist gave his life trying to expose the crimes of this organised gang. We have CCTV footage, witnesses, and all the evidence. Upon receiving the autopsy report, we will file the charge sheet within 15 days."
Nazmul acknowledged police responsibility and admitted shortcomings due to manpower shortages. "We cannot escape responsibility for the journalist's murder. We have failed in some aspects and lack sufficient personnel," he said, adding, "It is impossible for police alone to suppress crime."
He urged public cooperation to effectively combat crime.
Around 8:30pm on Thursday night, a group of miscreants killed Asaduzzaman, 40, with sharp weapons in front of a crowded market in Gazipur city's Chandana Chowrasta area. He had worked as a staff reporter for the Mymensingh-based daily Pratidiner Kagoj for around five years.
Describing the incident, the GMP commissioner said it began with another victim, Badsha Mia, who had just withdrawn Tk 25,000 from an ATM booth.
One Parul Akhter, known as Golapi, tried to frame him by luring him into providing information. "When Badsha realised this, a dispute broke out and he punched Golapi, as seen on CCTV footage."
Immediately after, five to six of Golapi's associates attacked Badsha with machetes. Asaduzzaman saw the attack and began filming the assailants. "The accused saw him recording and feared exposure. They then chased the journalist. He took shelter at a tea stall, but they caught up and brutally stabbed him to death."
The next day, the victim's elder brother, Mizba Hossain filed a case against unknown people with Gazipur police.
Police later collected CCTV footage and identified eight suspects, seven of whom were arrested within 24 hours -- Mizan alias Ketu Mizan, 35; his wife Golapi, 25; Swadhin, 28; Al Amin, 21; Shah Jamal, 32; Faisal Hasan, 23, of Pabna; and Sumon, 26, of Cumilla.
The GMP commissioner added that Mizan is implicated in 15 cases. His wife, Parul (Golapi), is one of his associates. Two cases were earlier filed against Amin, two against Swadhin, eight against Jamal, and two against Faisal.
Meanwhile, the journalists across the country, including in Tangail, Narsingdi, Jhenaidah, Munshiganj, and Chandpur, held rallies and formed human chains to protest Asaduzzaman's killing.
