Abu Sayeed murder: Case filed against 17 including former IGP
A case has been filed in connection with the killing of Begum Rokeya University student Abu Sayeed against 17 people, including former inspector general of police (IGP) Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun, former deputy inspector general (DIG) of Rangpur range Abdul Baten and former commissioner of Rangpur Metropolitan Police Md. Moniruzzaman.
Abu Sayeed’s elder brother Ramjan Ali filed the case as the plaintiff.
Abu Sayeed was one of the central coordinators of ‘Students Against Discrimination’ in Rangpur during the movement demanding job quota reform. He died in police firing during the movement on 16 July.
The plaintiff appealed to register the case at the additional metropolitan magistrate’s court in Rangpur today, Sunday.
The judge of the court Raju Ahmed asked Tajhat police station to record the case, plaintiff's lawyers Raihan Kabir and Rokonuzzaman confirmed the news.
Other accused of the case include Rangpur Metropolitan Police’s deputy commissioner Al Maruf Hossain, assistant commissioners Md. Arifuzzaman, Al Imran Hossain, former officer-in-charge (OC) of Tajhat police station Rabiul Islam, Begum Rokeya University police camp in-charge Bibhuti Bhushan Roy, assistant sub-inspector (ASI) Amir Ali and constable Sujan Chandra Roy.
Among the accused, Abdul Baten and Moniruzzaman have been sent into forced retirement while Rabiul Islam, Amir Ali and Sujan have been suspended.
Associate professor of mathematics department at Begum Rokeya University Mashiur Rahman, associate professor of public administration department Asaduzzaman Mandal, official at the proctor office Rafiul Hasan, president of the university unit of Bangladesh Chhatra League Pomel Barua, general secretary Shamim Mahfuz, organising secretary Dhananjay Kumar Roy, office secretary Babul Hossain and 30 to 35 unidentified people have also been named as accused in the case.
The plaintiff in the case statement mentioned that Abu Sayeed was one of the central coordinator of ‘Students Against Discrimination’ in Rangpur during the movement demanding quota reform. He was unarmed and alone on 16 July. Visibly he was no threat to the police. Yet, he was shot with a shotgun. After Abu Sayeed fell and tried standing up again and again, the accused shot him several times in a preplanned way.
The case statement also stated that president of the university unit of BCL, Pomel Barua, led a brickbat attack on the students from inside of Begum Rokeya University campus towards 2:00 pm on the day of the incident. Instead of falling back, Abu Sayeed stretched his arms wide and moved forward.
At the time proctor office official Rafiul Hasan wearing a helmet came in front of the police personnel and directed them to “shoot” aiming at Abu Sayeed. The two accused teachers Mashiur Rahman and Asaduzzaman Mandal also influenced the police to fire.
Abu Sayeed was a student of batch 12 at the English department of Begum Rokeya University. Once the video footage of unarmed Abu Sayeed being shot by police went viral, it created a huge reaction throughout the country.
People became vocal against this murder. At one point, the quota reform movement turned into a one-point demand of government’s resignation. The Sheikh Hasina government fell on 5 August in the face student-led mass uprising. And, Sheikh Hasina left the country after resigning.
Plaintiff of the case Ramjan Ali told Prothom Alo that his brother has been murdered with bullets. They have filed the case to get justice for him.