PM phones Sinha Rashed’s mother, assures her of justice

Prime minister Sheikh Hasina on Tuesday made a phone call to Nasima Akhter, the mother of former army officer Sinha Md Rashed Khan, who was shot dead by police. The PM offered sympathy and condolences to Sinha’s mother.

The family of the deceased said that the prime minister had told the mother of the retired major Sinha Rashed that the incident would be thoroughly investigated and also assured her of justice.

Speaking to Prothom Alo, Nasima Akhter said, “The prime minister phone me in the morning and expressed her sympathy and condolences at the death of my son. The prime minister said, ‘I am in the same boat as you. I have no words to comfort you. I too have lost my entire family.’”

Nasima Akhter said, “I told the prime minister, I won’t get my son back, but I want a proper investigation of the incident and justice. The prime minister replied that there would be proper investigation and justice would be done.”

Retired major Sinha Md Rashed Khan was shot dead at the Shamlapur police check post in Baharchhara union of Teknaf at 9pm on the night of 32 July. An intelligence report, quoted Sinha’s associate Sifat, who was at him at the time, as saying, “Police outpost in-charge inspector Liaquat Ali shot three bullets into Maj (red) Sinha’s chest without any questioning.”

On the other hand, the case filed with Teknaf model police station states that, “Sinha Md Rashed suddenly drew a pistol from his right hip and was ready to open fire and so the police outpost in-charge Liaqat Ali fired four shots to protect himself and the lives of the officer forces who were with him.”

Sinha Rashed has been buried at the Dhaka military cemetery.