Murder convict caught after remaining fugitive for 33 years

A murder convict has been caught red-handed by police at Golapganj in Sylhet after remaining absconding for as long as 33 years.

Mashuk Mia has been caught red-handed at the age of 56 years though the murder took place when he was 16 years’ old.
He was arrested by police at about 2:30am on Friday (August 11).

Arrested Mashuk Mia is an inhabitant of village Kargaon in Lakkhanaband union under Golapganj upazila in Sylhet district.

Villagers said Mashuk Mia had fled away back in 1990 killing a neighbour by stabbing in sequel to a dispute over land property. Then, 33 years had passed. In the meantime, a Sylhet court sentenced him life-term imprisonment in the murder case.

It is learnt that though he fled to India after the murder, he used to come to the country wearing burqa.

Mashuk Mia recently came home to take part in his sister’s qulkhawni. In order to evade the eyes of law enforcers, he used to wear a burqa. However, he could not evade the eyes of law enforcers as he was subsequently arrested by police.

Police said one Abdus Salam of village Kargaon was stabbed to death while returning home from nearby Purokaystha Bazar back in April 1990. On April 13 of that year, a relative of the murder victim filed a case with local police station. Mashuk was an accused of the case. However, he went to India immediately after the murder. After trial of the case, a Sylhet court awarded him life-term jail in 1992.

Recently, he came home from Indian to take part in his sister’s qulkhawni. He went home wearing a burqa to evade arrest. He entered home wearing a burqa. On the basis of a piece of information that a fugitive convict returned home, police launched a raid at Mashuk’s house at about 2:30am on Friday and arrested him.

Golapganj Police Station officer-in-charge Md Rafiqul Islam Sraban said the convict could not avert the eyes of police this time. He was arrested on the basis of a tip-off.

The OC further said Mashuk Mia came home to take part in his sister’s qulkhawni. He lives in Assam of India and earlier lived in Saudi Arabia. He married a woman in Assam, but divorced his wife as the woman could not give birth to any child.