Dhaka: A court here today imposed a travel ban on two persons, including late film superstar Salman Shah’s wife, Samira Haque, in a case filed over the actor’s alleged premeditated murder in 1996. The other individual prohibited from leaving the country is film actor Ashraful Haque, also known as Dawn.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Saifuzzaman issued the order after granting a plea filed by the investigation officer (IO) in the case. The IO and Ramna Police Station inspector Atiqul Alam Khandaker submitted the plea on October 22. This development comes nearly 29 years after the death of Chowdhury Mohammad Shahriar, known as Salman Shah, with the case being lodged against 11 people at Ramna Police Station on October 21, 2025.
Salman Shah’s maternal uncle, Mohammad Alamgir, filed the case under sections 302 and 34 of the Penal Code. The accused include Samira Haque, Aziz Mohammad Bhai, Latifa Haque Lusi, Dawn, David, Zaved, Faruk, Ruby, A. Sattar, Saju, and Rijvi Ahmed Farhad.
Earlier, on October 20, Dhaka’s 6th Additional Metropolitan Sessions Judge Md Jannatul Ferdous Ibn Haque instructed the officer-in-charge of Ramna Police Station to treat the case filed over Salman Shah’s “unnatural” death as a murder case and submit a report. The court’s order also stated that the previous unnatural death case was revoked by an order on October 31, 2021.
According to the case statement, on September 6, 1996, Salman Shah’s mother, Nilufar Zaman Chowdhury, father, the late Kamar Uddin Ahmed Chowdhury, and younger son Shahraan Shah went to Salman’s residence in New Eskaton to meet him. Upon arrival, Samira and a domestic aide named Abul informed them that Salman was asleep. Film producer Siddique was also present to meet him. Salman’s parents decided to visit him later on their way to Sylhet.
Later that day, production manager Selim called Kamar Uddin Ahmed Chowdhury, informing him that something had happened to Salman and urging them to visit his house immediately. Upon reaching the residence, Salman’s family discovered him lying motionless in his bedroom, with a few unidentified women rubbing oil on his hands and feet. In another room, Samira’s relative Ruby, who operated the nearby Mayfair Beauty Parlour, was present.
Salman’s mother urged those present to take her son to the hospital immediately. One of Samira’s acquaintances reportedly shouted at her, saying, “You get out of my house.” Salman’s parents rushed him to Holy Family Hospital, where they observed rope marks on his neck and his face and legs turning blue. His mother insisted on transferring him to Dhaka Medical College Hospital, where doctors declared Salman Shah dead on arrival, stating he had died earlier.
Following the incident, Kamar Uddin Ahmed Chowdhury initially filed an unnatural death case. On July 24, 1997, he submitted a petition in court, alleging murder and seeking to register the case under Section 302 of the Penal Code. “As Salman’s father – my brother-in-law – has passed away, I am pursuing the case on behalf of my sister under the power of attorney vested in me,” the complainant stated.