The Crime Desk: Cases have been filed against 952 police members till the end of the outgoing year on charges of shooting and killing people during the anti-discrimination student-public movement. These cases were filed in various police stations and courts of the country. 28 police members have already been arrested.
The list of accused includes six former Inspector Generals of Police, 36 former Additional Inspector Generals of Police, 5 Additional IGPs, several former and current DIGs, Additional DIGs, Supers of Police, Additional Supers of Police, Assistant Supers of Police, Inspectors, Sub-Inspectors, Constables, and members of various ranks. This information was obtained by analyzing information from various cases.
In this regard, former Inspector General of Police Muhammad Nurul Huda said that the police will use their weapons in the public interest and based on the legal framework. The law is equal for everyone. The investigation of these cases should be completed quickly and fairly. A kind of chaotic situation has been created regarding the case. Delay in identifying the guilty and the innocent can have an adverse effect on the morale of the members of the force.
Police Headquarters Spokesperson AIG Enamul Haque Sagar said those responsible are being identified in a fair and impartial investigation. There is nothing to worry about if they are innocent. The same policy applies to the police or any other person. If they are guilty, their names will be on the charge sheet. If they are not involved in the crime, a final report will be given. So far, 28 police members have been arrested.
The indiscriminate shooting and killing of people to suppress the student and public movement from July to August 5 have sparked widespread criticism both inside and outside the force. Demands have been raised from various quarters to identify those involved in the use of force against the protesters.
It was learned from talking to the concerned that an application was made from the police headquarters to the Public Security Department of the ministry to arrest several former and current members of the police. After this, 28 people have been arrested in various stages.
An official alleged that the names of the accused were included in the list of accused in a conspiracy to put many people in trouble. Apart from the batchmate, some members of the police are involved in this. There have also been allegations that some have lured the plaintiff to insert their names.
According to them, if someone safe is accused besides the real culprits, there is a risk of losing the importance of the case. This deprives the victim of justice.
According to some, if someone innocent is accused of conspiracy in the case, it will be difficult to boost the morale of the force. Family members will be socially affected.
Analyzing the statements of several cases, it is seen that people of different classes and professions from different districts of the country have been accused in the same case. The plaintiff does not know all the accused. A young man named Md. Sohel filed a case as a plaintiff at Khilgaon Police Station on October 5. In that case, Awami League leaders, former ministers, several ward councilors, transport leaders, police officers, and residents of Khulna, Bogra, Patuakhali, Narayanganj, Gazipur, and other districts were accused.
60-70 unidentified accused have been named along with 79 others. The statement says that on the afternoon of August 4, the plaintiff suffered serious injuries to his right hand and forehead due to bullets fired by the police. He was admitted to Mugda Hospital on September 17. The next day, after surgery, he was discharged from the hospital when the bullet came out. Several accused in the case said that they did not go to the area on the day of the incident. An IT investigation will reveal this.
When the plaintiff called the number, a person named Rubel, Sohel’s maternal uncle, introduced himself and said, “We do not know all the accused. There are more such cases. Let the police investigate.”
Analysis of the case data shows that six former inspectors general of police have been accused in the case.
They are Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun, AKM Shahidul Haque, Benazir Ahmed, Hasan Mahmud Khandaker, Javed Patwari, and M Sanaul Haque. There are 155 cases against Mamun, 23 against Shahidul Haque, 11 against Benazir, 7 against Hasan Mahmud Khandaker, 2 against Javed Patwari, and 1 against Sanaul.
In addition, the list of accused includes 36 former additional IGPs, five additional IGPs, 12 former DIGs, 11 DIGs, two former additional DIGs, 42 additional DIGs, three former superintendents of police, 59 superintendents of police, 56 additional superintendents of police, 21 assistant superintendents of police, and 168 inspectors. The rest are sub-inspectors, assistant sub-inspectors, and constables.
An analysis of the case data shows that the highest number of cases, 171, are against Harun Or Rashid, the then chief of the Dhaka Metropolitan Detective Police. 117 cases against former DMP Commissioner Habibur Rahman, 125 cases against Additional DIG Biplob Kumar Sarkar, 46 cases against former Additional IGP Monirul Islam, and 31 cases against Additional DIG SM Mehedi Hasan.
Other police officers who are accused
The list of accused includes former Additional IGP Mokhlesur Rahman, Shafiqul Islam, Iqbal Bahar, Barrister Mahbubur Rahman, Ibrahim Fatemi, Atiqul Islam, Banaj Kumar Majumder, Didar Ahmed, Mohammad Ali Mia, Md. Asaduzzaman, Binaykrishna Bala, M Khurshid Hossain, Sheikh Mohammad Maruf Hasan, Sheikh Hemayet Uddin, Selim Mohammad Jahangir, Khandaker Lutful Kabir, Krishnapada Roy, Bashir Ahmed, Anwar Hossain, AKM Hafiz Akhter, Dr. Khandaker Mohid Uddin, former DIG SM Mahfuzul Haque Nuruzzaman, Abdul Jalil Mandal, Md. Asaduzzaman, SM Moniruzzaman, Nibas Chandra Majhi, Shoibal Kanti Chowdhury, DIG Nur-e Alam Mina, Zakir Hossain Khan, Saiful Islam, Syed Nurul Islam and AKM Nahidul Islam.
Cases against DCs
Among the DCs, Mohammad Iqbal Hossain is the accused in the most cases, with 27. He was seen in a viral video after the fall of the government.
