Police handed over deceased trader to AL leader, alleges wife
Deceased Gaibandha trader Hasan Ali's wife alleged that police handed over her husband to Awami League leader Masud Rana a month ago before his death.
The body of Hasan Ali, 45, from Thanapara area of the town, was found hanging at the residence of AL’s district unit deputy office secretary and money lender Masud Rana on Saturday noon.
Police have formed a three-member probe body over the incident.
Hasan’s wife Bithi Begum filed a written complaint with Gaibandha sadar police station mentioning the names of AL leader Masud and two others. The other two are businessman Rumel Haque and Khalilur Rahman.
Police, however, did not take the case into cognizance as of 5:00pm on Sunday.
Meanwhile, family members and local residents formed a human chain at DB Road area of the city on Sunday demanding punishment of the killers.
Leaders of different socio-political organisations also demanded exemplary punishment of Masud and police officials involved with the murder.
In the complaint, Bithi said her husband Hasan Ali would run a business of shoes at the station road in the town. He took Tk 150,000 as a loan from Awami League leader Masud Rana, 42.
Masud recently claimed Tk 1.9 million in return and pressurised Hasan. He abducted Hasan on 5 March from a wedding ceremony at Lalmonirhat and confined him at his residence at Khanka Sharif area in the city.
Bithi also alleged that Masud threatened her husband and tortured him physically and mentally.
“I tried to rescue my husband with the help of local people after knowing about his ordeals. I went to that house, but Masud didn’t free my husband. He threatened with a grave consequence for failing to pay the amount and drove me out of that house,” Bithi’s statement reads.
“Inspector (investigation) Mojibur Rahman, sub inspector Mosharraf Hossain and another police official brought my husband to sadar police station from Masud’s residence. At that night, inspector Mojibur failed to hand over my husband to me and took the side of Masud. He asked my husband to give back the money and asked me to sign a bond on non-judicial stamp. When I didn’t agree with his proposal, the police officer handed over my husband to Masud.”
Bithi alleged that Masud confined her husband for a month and tortured him using his political clout.
“I failed to rescue him despite several attempts. On Friday night, my husband was tortured and his body was hung with the ceiling of a toilet. I found his body hanging on Saturday morning. Masud and his allies murdered my husband in a planned way,” alleged Bithi.
Denying the allegation, inspector Mojibur said, "Sub-inspector Mosharraf brought Masud and Hasan to the police station at the order of officer-in- charge. There was an arbitration later. I know nothing about handing over Hasan to Masud.”
Sadar police station’s OC Mahfuzar Rahman also denied the allegation saying police did not hand over Hasan.
He claimed that Hasan, Bithi, Masud and others went out of the police station after the arbitration. Police did not know where they went later.
OC said they cannot ensure whether the incident is of murder or suicide.
The police would seek remand for detained AL leader, he added.
Meanwhile, superintendent of Gaibandha police Tawhidul Islam hold a briefing on Sunday afternoon.
He said a committee has been formed on Saturday to probe whether any policeman is involved with the incident. Departmental action would be taken if anyone found guilty.
Asked about the reason for the delay over taking the case, the SP said, “We take any allegation after scrutiny. The process to take the case statement submitted by Hasan’s wife is underway.”
The probe body was asked to submit a report within seven working days.
Meanwhile, district Awami League has suspended Masud from his post.
District AL general secretary Abu Bakar Siddique made the announcement at a briefing on Sunday afternoon.
Contacted, Masud’s wife Rehana Parvin admitted that Hasan had stayed at their house for a long time.
She did not comment on how Hasan died.