A murder case was registered with the Kishoreganj Sadar model police station on 29 November against 768 people including the former prime minister Sheikh Hasina. The case statement contains three separate incidents and the second incident detailed that leaders and activists of the fascist Awami League government launched a combing operation and fired shots indiscriminately on the peaceful procession of the students in the Gourango Bazar intersection area. At that time, Dulal Robidas, a cobbler, sustained severe bullet injuries on his chest, and then 22-23 of the accused beat him ruthlessly with iron rods to make sure he was dead. Several people rescued Dulal Robidas and he succumbed to his injuries on his way to the Kishoreiganj 250-bed Hospital.
In fact, no individual named Dulal Robidas died on that day. That certain person did not go to the market on that day either. Regarding this, Kanchan Robidas, younger brother of Dulal Robidas, told Prothom Alo his brother was not in the Gourango Bazar intersection area on the day of the incident and he had been suffering from breathing complications for a long. So, he stayed at home during the most of days during the movement and he died from breathing complications at home on 19 July. Kanchan Robidas said, “We are now hearing that our elder brother died in firing during the movement. A lawsuit has also been filed, but our family knew nothing. However, many of the accused came and asked about it, and we are now worried.”
Rafiul Islam, 25, son of Jasim Uddin from Monipurghat area of the district, filed the lawsuit. It has been learned he named 168 people in the case. Rafiul Islam claimed to Prothom Alo, “I did not file the case alone. We, 4-5 people, did it after consulting among us, but I gave the names of 130 people. I do not understand how the names of the remaining 38 people were included. I also made a count and found 19 innocent people including BNP people also came up. Now, many people are using my name to intimidate the accused, as well as taking money from them. Yet, I know nothing of it. Now, I am in trouble. I do not understand what will I do now?”
Kishoreganj Sadar model police station officer-in-charge (OC) Abdullah Al Mamun said, “The number of the accused in the case remains the same as given the plaintiff. The FIR (first inquest report) was filed after receiving the case statement copy containing the names of all the accused with the signature of the plaintiff. Police from the thana have no chance to add or omit the name of any accused.”
This is one of the examples of the process of making money and harassing people through filing cases following the fall of the Awami League government. One more such instance was described as follows;
Jubo Dal activist Ruhul Amin, from Sholakia upazila of the district, was named in a case filed with the Kishoreganj Sadar model police station on 9 September. He served in prison for 17 months during the Awami League government because of making a post on the social media platform Facebook against the government. This time, he filed a written complaint against several BNP leaders of the district to BNP acting chairman Tarique Rahman after he was accused in the case on 9 September.
Sujon Mia is the apprentice lawyer in the case. He said he did not know Ruhul Amin. He did not know how his name came up either. He also does not know the majority of the 90 accused facing charges in the case. Even the names of Sujon Mia’s relatives also came up in the case. That is why, his family members are rebuking him and he has been in trouble over it.
At least 42 political cases have been recorded in Kishoreganj since the fall of the Awami League government on 5 August, and 3,559 people were named and more than 10,000 unnamed people were accused in these cases. As many as 270 people have been arrested so far. The accused are menially leaders and activists of Awami League and its affiliated bodies. Besides, seven-eight journalists from the districts were also named in these cases. Six people died and several hundreds were injured in Kishoreganj during the student-people movement.
Many of the cases filed in Kishoreganj after the student-people movement attracted criticism. Rules were not allegedly followed properly to file these cases. There were allegations of making money by adding and omitting the name in the lawsuits. BNP, as well as various quarters, are now expressing concerns and criticising these randomly filed cases.
Even the Dhaka Metropolitan Police commissioner Sheikh Sheikh Md Sajjad Ali admitted to registering fictitious cases in various districts. He told journalists on 8 December, “Trumped-up and fictitious cases were filed, and 200-300 are accused. What started new is that the plaintiff is asking for money from everyone. Give some money; your name will be left out.”
BNP strongly condemned the two cases in Karimganj of Kishoreganj. A press release signed by BNP’s Karimganj upazila unit president Md Azizul Islam and general secretary freedom fighter Dulal Shikder said two cases were filed with Kishoreganj Sadar model police station on 29 November and Bajitpur police station on 6 November. The Aawmi fascists were accused in these cases, but the names of several innocent people and leaders of BNP from various areas including Karimganj upazila, Karimganj municipality and Joyka union were included in it out of political vengeance. Innocent people who have been waging movement actively for 17 years are accused in these cases because of property disputes, personal feuds and vengeance.
BNP’s Kishoreganj unit general secretary Mazharul Islam said instructions have been given to party leaders so that no innocent people were made accused in cases unnecessarily. Yet, many are filing cases without asking them. Some people are accused in several cases out of personal vengeance. When they come to know the matter they are telling the OCs not to record those cases. Yet, many people are going to police stations and courts and filing cases for personal gain. Since the matter could not prevented despite forbidding it repeatedly, they are now concerned over it, he added.
Superintendent of police Mohammad Hasan Chowdhury said 42 cases have been filed in Kishoreganj so far since 5 August. About 3,500 people were named and several thousand unnamed people were also named as accused in these cases while 270 people were arrested. Investigating officers have been instructed to take legal actions based on investigation in each case, he added.
* This report appeared in the online edition of Prothom Alo and has been rewritten in English by Hasanul Banna