Former NBR official Matiur allowed secret meeting, 11 policemen suspended
Police were escorting former National Board of Revenue (NBR) official Matiur Rahman from the Dhaka Metropolitan Senior Special Judge’s Court back to Kishoreganj prison. He has been at the centre of controversy after his son purchased a goat for Tk 1.5 million. During the midday meal break, the police escort stopped at a restaurant.
Allegations have since emerged that the police members, in exchange for bribes, permitted Matiur to hold a secret meeting in a private cabin of the restaurant with another individual.
The incident occurred on 12 August at a restaurant, Nirala Haddi, at Syednagar of Shibpur upazila in Narsingdi, along the Dhaka–Sylhet highway.
Kishoreganj district police suspended one sub-inspector and 10 constables for their involvement in the incident.
The order, signed on Saturday evening by Superintendent of Police Mohammad Hasan Chowdhury, confirmed the suspension of the 11 police members.
Speaking on the matter, Superintendent Hasan Chowdhury stated, “Upon learning of the incident, police immediately formed a three-member inquiry committee. The committee found the allegations to be true. Based on that, 11 police members involved have been suspended and attached to the police lines.”
The suspended officers include Sub-Inspector Abul Kashem, along with Constables Moniruzzaman, Md Kabir Hossain, Imran, Nirjan Khan, Shamim Alam, Md Roni Hossain, Shariful Islam, Tanvir Rahman, Md Abu Said Mia and Rabindra Das.
All have been attached to the Kishoreganj police lines.
According to the district police order, the officers had been tasked on 12 August with escorting Matiur Rahman from Kishoreganj prison to the Dhaka Metropolitan Senior Special Judge’s Court for a scheduled appearance. Following the hearing, they halted at a restaurant in Narsingdi on their return journey. It is alleged that, having accepted bribes, the escorting officers granted the prisoner improper privileges.
A three-member investigation panel, headed by the Additional Superintendent of Police (Crime & Operations), was formed. Its report stated that the police members had seated the detainee in a separate room, while they themselves dined in the public area. This, the report concluded, constituted a clear negligence of duty.
On Saturday evening, Prothom Alo correspondent visited the Nirala Haddi restaurant, where the incident had taken place, and spoke to its owner, Md Abul Kashem Bhuiyan.
He confirmed, after reviewing CCTV footage and videos circulating on social media, that the episode had indeed occurred at his restaurant. He himself had been present at the time.
Kishoreganj District Jail Superintendent Ritesh Chakma told Prothom Alo that Matiur Rahman had been transferred to Kishoreganj prison on 11 April. Since then, he had been produced three times before the Dhaka Metropolitan Senior Special Judge’s Court, the last being on 12 August. On that occasion, he was returned to Kishoreganj prison the same day. However, on 26 August, Matiur was transferred from Kishoreganj to Kashimpur-2 Central Jail.