Salman Shah murder: Probe report now deferred to 30 August

A Dhaka court has deferred the submission of the investigation report in the Salman Shah murder case filed against 11 people, including the late actor's former wife Samira Haque, and fixed 30 August as the new date.

The report was scheduled to be submitted today (23 July), but the case's investigation officer, Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Inspector Ziaul Morshed, failed to file it.

Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Jewel Rana subsequently set the new date. This is the eighth time the investigating officer has been granted additional time to submit the report, confirmed Sub-Inspector Shah Alam of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police's Prosecution Division.

Salman's uncle Mohammad Alamgir Kumkum, on behalf of his sister Neela Chowdhury, filed the case on 20 October 2025 at Ramna Police Station. The court accepted the complaint and directed the investigating officer to submit a report.

The other accused in the case are Samira's mother Latifa Haque Lucy, businessman Aziz Mohammad Bhai, actor Don, David, Javed, Faruk, Ruby, A Sattar, Saju, and Rezvi Ahmed alias Farhad.

According to the case statement, Salman, whose real name was Chowdhury Mohammad Shahriar Emon, died on 6 September 1996 at the age of 25.

The complaint alleges that his family found him lying in his bedroom after receiving a phone call from a production manager. It further claims that they noticed marks around his neckwhile taking him to hospital, where doctors declared that he had died some time earlier. The complainant alleges that Salman was murdered. 

He said that after Salman's death, several investigation authorities had tested the note thoroughly.

On 3 August 2014, a Metropolitan Magistrate, Emdadul Haque, submitted a judicial inquiry report to the then Dhaka Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Bikash Kumar Saha.

On 10 February 2015, Neela filed an objection in the court of then Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Jahangir Hossain, accusing 11 people, including Salman Shah's wife Samira Haq, Aziz Mohammad Bhai, Rizvi Ahmed alias Farhad, Nazrul Sheikh Samira Haque, Latifa Haque Lucy, David, Ashraful Haque Don, Rabeya Sultana Ruby, Mostaq Waid, Abul Hossain Khan and Monowara Begum, of being involved in her son's murder.

"We also examined the note through assistance from handwriting experts and specialists. After examining the handwriting, they also identified it as Salman Shah's writing," said the PBI chief.

The note says, "I am Chowdhury Md Shahriar, Father: Kamar Uddin Ahmed Chowdhury. Address: 146/5, Green Road, Dhaka # 1215, alias Salman Shah. I promise that no one will be responsible for my death today or any day after today. Voluntarily, consciously, I commit suicide in a healthy state of mind."

The Detective Branch, Criminal Investigation Department of police and a judicial probe body investigated the case separately, and submitted their reports to the effect that Salman Shah's death was a case of unnatural death, a position which Salman Shah's family refused to agree with.

On December 7, 2016, a Dhaka court asked the PBI to undertake a fresh inquiry into the case.

On 25 February 2020, the PBI also submitted a final report concluding that Salman Shah had committed suicide. The court accepted the report on 31 October 2021, but the family again filed a revision application, which is currently pending.

The next hearing is scheduled for 23 September.

On 31 October 2021, the court accepted the PBI report and ordered the case to be disposed of. 

However, on 12 June 2022, Neela filed a revision petition with the Dhaka Metropolitan Sessions Judge's Court challenging that order.

Later that day, production manager Selim phoned Kamar Uddin Ahmed Chowdhury, saying something had happened to Salman and asking them to come to his house immediately.

When the family reached the residence, they found Salman lying motionless in his bedroom while several unknown women were rubbing oil on his hands and feet. In another room, Ruby — a relative of Samira who ran the nearby Mayfair Beauty Parlour — was present.

Salman's mother screamed and asked that he be taken to hospital immediately. One of Samira's acquaintances reportedly shouted at her, saying, "You get out from my house."

Salman's parents then rushed him towards Holy Family Hospital, where they noticed rope marks on his neck and a bluish tint to his face and legs.

His mother insisted on taking him to Dhaka Medical College Hospital, where doctors declared him dead on arrival, saying he had died some time earlier.

Following the incident, Kamar Uddin Ahmed Chowdhury initially filed an unnatural death case.