There should be exemplary punishment in Sinha murder: Army chief

Bangladesh army chief general Aziz Ahmed on Wednesday said there should be exemplary punishment for the murder of retired major Sinha Md Rashed Khan.

He also termed the death of Sinha in police firing as a heinous and brutal incident.

General Aziz said this while talking to newsmen after a programme on awarding regimental colours to six units of 24 infantry division in Bhatiary, Chattogram.

Retired major Sinha was killed in a police firing at Shamlapur check post on Marine Drive in Teknaf, Cox’s Bazar on 31 July night. Police at first claimed the incident to be crossfire.

When the general was asked whether he was satisfied with the investigations, he said, "Investigations are being carried out, nothing can be said now. Everybody knows what happened. A most heinous incidents took place and there should be exemplary punishment. The investigations will reveal it all and only after the punishment does the question of being satisfied or arise.”

Regarding the killing of Sinha, the Bangladesh army chief said, “That was a brutal and heinous act of killing. Investigations are being carried out. As the army chief I want to hope that the investigations will be completed properly. The actual criminals will be given befitting and exemplary punishment so that nothing like this ever happens again with any serving or retired army persons.”

In response to a question about whether the army was conducting any investigation into the incident, general Aziz Ahmed said, “We certainly investigate if any army member faces anything unnatural. We ordered an investigation immediately after the incident. That investigation is underway.”

When newspersons asked the army chief that whether the army has been planning to submit any proposal to the government to curb such incidents, he said, “There is no need for the army to submit any proposal to the government. The government has formed a joint investigation team after the incident. The army, and I’m sure that the police force too, has full support for the investigation team. This investigation team will send its recommendations to the government. I don’t think the army has any need to send recommendations because the joint team has army members as well.”

Terming the murder of Sinha as a brutal incident, army chief general Aziz Ahmed further said it was not the army only that condemned the incident. The police chief also had come that day and they also have apologised for the incident. Everyone was shocked. If anyone tries to use the incident, that would be unfortunate and unwarranted.