Abdus Sattar. Photo: BSS

KHULNA, June 16, 2025 (BSS) – A Khulna Court here today sent Abdus Sattar alias Disco Sattar, one of the convicts sentenced to life imprisonment in the murder case of senior journalist and former Khulna Press Club president Manik Chandra Saha, to jail today.
 
Judge Md. Manjurul Imam of the Khulna Divisional Speedy Trial Tribunal pronounced the order after rejecting his bail plea after he surrendered before the court after 20 years.

Son of Nur Mohammad alias Nuru, Disco Sattar, a resident of Morelganj upazila in Bagerhat, had been absconding since the murder.

According to tribunal sources, on January 15, 2004, journalist Manik Saha was killed around 1.20 pm at the Mirzapur intersection when a group of assailants threw a powerful bomb at him.

After over a decade of legal proceedings, in 2016, the court announced its verdict in the murder case, sentencing nine individuals to life imprisonment and a fine of Tk 10,000 each. In default of payment, they were to serve more than one year of rigorous imprisonment. Two others were acquitted due to lack of evidence in the case.

The nine convicted are Akram Hossain Hawlader alias Bomaru Hawlader, Ali Akbar Shikder alias Shawon, Nuruzzaman, Mithun, Suman, Sattar alias Disco Sattar, Bellal alias Bulbul, Saka alias Sakhawat Hossain, and Sarwar Hossain alias Saro. The two acquitted are Hai Islam and Kochi alias Omar Faruq.

Public Prosecutor Advocate Enamul Haque represented the state in the case, according to Court Assistant Md. Majaharul Islam.

Journalist Manik Chandra Saha, a former Khulna Bureau Chief of Daily Sangbad and Ekushey Television, as well as a contributor to BBC Bangla, was also a recipient of the Ekushey Padak.

Two days after the murder, on January 17, 2004, then Sub-Inspector Ranjit Kumar Das of Khulna Sadar Police Station filed a case under murder and explosives laws.