Two cases in two police stations over teenager’s killing; father’s petition dismissed

Teenager Mahmudul Hasan, 15, was shot dead in Dhaka during the anti-discrimination movement on 5 August. His rickshaw-puller father, Mizanur Rahman went to file a case for his son’s death at the court in Dhaka about a month later on 12 September.

The court recorded his statement. Later, Jatrabari police station informed the court that someone has filed a case in this incident already. So, the father’s petition was dismissed.  

Then it came out in Prothom Alo’s investigation that not one but two cases have been filed in the incident of Mahmudul’s murder. One of those has been filed with Demra Police station accusing 93 people. It stated that Mahmudul was shot dead in Demra area.

The other case has been filed with Jatrabari police station with 37 accused. The statement of this case mentioned that Mahmudul has been killed in Jatrabari area. And, the police from those two stations have already arrested and interrogated two people by putting them on remand in those two cases.

Mahmudul’s father Mizanur Rhaman does not know the plaintiffs of these two cases. He told Prothom Alo, “My son had joined the anti-discrimination student-people movement. He was shot dead but we couldn’t file a case.”

The FIR in those two cases filed with Demra and Jatrabari police stations and the petition filed at the chief metropolitan magistrate (CMM) court in Dhaka by the father mention three different information regarding the spot of the incident.

Two different cases filed in two separate police stations in connection to the same incident cannot be continued, said senior criminal case lawyer Ehsanul Haque Samaji. He told Prothom Alo that the issue of two separate cases being filed in the incident of Mahmudul’s killing needs to be brought to the court’s attention. This is usual and goes against justice.

When asked about it, officer-in-charge (OC) of Jatrabari police station Faruk Ahmed told Prothom Alo that he has no information of a case being filed with Demra police station in connection to Mahmudul’s death. He will take necessary action after looking into the matter. Inspector (investigation) of Demra police station Abdur Razzak Mir also said the same thing.

It has been learnt from speaking to relatives that Mahmudul Hasan was the son of Mizanur Rahman and Hashi Begum, residents of Kishoreganj. The couple, Mizanur Rahman and Hashi Begum got divorced a few years ago. Since then Mahmudul was being raised by his maternal grandmother in Sanarpar area of Narayanganj.

Mizanur Rahman told Prothom Alo that his son had joined the anti-discrimination student-people movement. Mizanur himself had also participated in the movement at Jatrabari area. Mahmudul left his Sanarpara home in the morning of 5 August. He received news in the evening that his son has been shot in the head and his body was kept at the morgue of Dhaka Medical College Hospital.

The first case in this incident was filed by Demra resident Julhas Sheikh. He mentioned the names of 94 people as accused in the petition filed at CMM court in Dhaka on 5 September. The list of accused includes five central Awami League leaders including former prime minister Sheikh Hasina and five police officers including former inspector general of police (IGP) Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun. Apart from them, 84 people including Awami League, Jubo League and Chhatra League leaders of different levels in Demra have also been accused in the case.

It has been claimed in the FIR that Mahmudul was nephew to the plaintiff. He was shot at Bashpatti area in Demra around 1:30 pm on 5 August. Later he declared dead by physicians at Dhaka Medical College Hospital around 3:00 am in the morning next day.

On court’s order, the case was filed with Demra police station on 10 September. The police has also arrested accused no. 65 of this case, Jahnagir Alam, 46, and interrogated him by putting him on remand for a day.

Plaintiff Julhas Sheikh claimed to Prothom Alo that Mahmudul’s mother Hashi Begum is an acquaintance of his from earlier. As far as his knowledge, Mahmudul was killed in Demra area. That’s why he filed the case as the plaintiff.

In the same incident, a man named Rabiul Awal filed a petition for a murder case against 37 people at the CMM court on 10 September. The court the ordered the officer-in-charge of Jatrabari police station to record the case as an FIR. The case was recorded at Jatrabari police station on 18 September.

Fifteen central leaders of Awami League and Jatiya Party including former prime minister Sheikh Hasina and several police official including former IGP Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun were listed as accused in the case. In addition to them, two notable businessmen of Dhaka and people from different profession have also been accused in the case. Based on police appeal, the court also approved five days of remand for ex IGP Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun under this case.

The FIR of this case stated that Mahmudul was shot in Shanir Akhra area of Jatrabari on 5 August. Later when he was taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital, the physicians there declared his dead.

Plaintiff of the case Rabiul Awal told Prothom Alo that he’s not related to Mahmudul. According to his understanding, neither of Mahmudul’s parents had filed a case. So, he filed a case as the plaintiff. However, Rabiul later appealed to the court seeking withdrawal of the names of those two businessmen from the case. He claimed that the lawyer had mistakenly mentioned the names of those two businessmen in the case.  

Meanwhile, Mizanur Rahman is now in doubt about getting justice for his son’s murder after learning of the two cases being filed with two police stations in connection to the same incident. He has appealed to the court through a lawyer to be included as a party in the case filed by Rabiul Awal. Mizanur Rahman told Prothom Alo, “No matter what I want justice for my son’s murder.”