The officer-in-charge (OC) of the Teknaf police station, Pradip Kumar Das, had received information in advance that two persons, in Bangladesh army uniform, were proceeding along the Marine Drive towards Cox’s Bazar. According to the OC’s directives, their vehicle was stopped at the Shamlapur checkpost and searched. Retired major Sinha Md Rashed Khan, as identified by the police on duty, was shot several times in his chest before he died.
Sinha Md Rashed Khan was killed on 31 July at Shamlapur. According to the charges filed in this regard, four shots were fired from the pistol of the outpost in charge. However, the death is being blamed on Sinha Md Rashed Khan and his associate Shahedul Islam Sifat.
These statements were made in the case filed by sub-inspector (SI) of Teknaf police station, Nandalal Rakkhit. Sifat has been accused of obstructing official duties (along with Sinha), aiming a firearm with the intention to shoot and also the killing.
The police have also filed charges against Sinha Md Rashed Khan and Shahedul Islam under the Narcotics Control Act 2018. They claimed to have recovered 50 yaba tablets and 250 grams of cannabis in their possession.
The Teknaf OC Pradip Kumar Das, replying to Prothom Alo, said, “Has it been stated anywhere in the charges that I had been informed about the matter? Then I will talk about it later.”
In reply to another question, he said, “Though a murder case has been filed against the person who was with Sinha Md Rashed Khan, action will be taken against whoever is proven to be guilty in the investigations.”
The charges in this case state that member of the community police Nurul Amin (21) informed the outpost in-charge over cell phone at around 8:30 pm that a number of robbers were wandering around the hills with small torches (flashlights). Nurul Amin informed Nizamuddin and four others about this. The microphone of the local mosque, Marishbunia Notun Masjid, was used to order the robbers to come down from the hills. Everyone was told to get together to resist the robbers. After some time, two persons came down. There were around 20 to 30 persons at the spot at the time.
The case statement said that in order to identify the two persons, a certain Md Main Uddin (19) flashed his torch at them when one of them in army uniform aimed his firearm and swore at him in abusive language. The people fled in fear when he brandished the weapon. Later the two drove off in a silver coloured car along Marine Drive towards Cox’s Bazar.
A certain Nurul Amin informed the Baharchhara information centre in-charge about the matter. The in-charge, in turn, informed the Teknaf police station OC. Upon his orders, headed by the Baharchhara information centre in charge Liaqat Ali, checking of vehicles began around 9:15 pm at the Shamlapur check post.
In the charges filed, Nandadulal Rakkhit said that around 20 minutes later, they signaled for a car to stop at the check post. The car, however, ignored the signal and tried to drive past the check post. In-charge Liaqat Ali blocked the car from going ahead and gestured for the passengers to get down from the vehicle. The person in the driver’s seat began to argue and said that he was an army major. The person at his side got down from the car.
The case statement went on to say that the outpost in charge asked the person in the driver’s seat to get out of the car and lift his hands above his head and asked details of his identity. After arguing for some time, the persons claiming to be a major, got out of the car and drew out a pistol from his right hip and was ready to open fire.
Nandadulal Rakkhit said, “IC (in-charge) sir (Liaqat Ali) fired four shots from his pistol in order to save himself and the officer forces with him.”
Police version about army uniform
In the complaint, Nandadulal Rakkhit said, Baharchhara is a hilly area in the Teknaf model police station jurisdiction. Robbers were active in the area beforehand. Operations had been launched in the area and the uniforms of the army and other law enforcement agencies had been recovered along with arms and ammunition. It is said that persons in these uniforms would often loot houses in the area. As Sinha Md Rashed was wearing army uniform, the people assumed he was a robber.