Attempt to exonerate Anisul Huq, Salman F Rahman, Ziaul Ahsan

An investigating officer prepared a final report exonerating former law minister Anisul Huq and ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina’s private industry and investment adviser Salman F Rahman in connection with the two murder cases filed over the July-August student uprising.

Efforts were also made to exonerate Major General (retd) Ziaul Ahsan, the former director-general of the National Telecommunication Monitoring Center (NTMC).

However, the matter was discovered before it reached the court, and investigations are being carried out again.

Documents and police sources reveal that the investigating officer attempted to submit the final report to the court concealing the identity. He did not seek approval from senior officers, as required by protocol. After the issue became public, he went on leave claiming to be ill.

Anisul Huq and Salman were exonerated in the cases of the murders of Sabuj Mia and Mohammad Shah-Jahan. On 16 July, Sabuj was beaten to death, and Shahjahan was shot in the capital’s New Market area.

The next day,  Sabuj’s cousin Mohammad Nur Nabi and Shahjahan’s mother Ayesha Begum filed a case at New Market police station.

After the fall of the Awami League government on 5 August, Anisul and Salman were arrested and shown as defendants in the two murder cases. On 16 August, retired Major General Zia was also arrested.

The investigation was led by inspector Mohammad Jahangir Arif of the Detective Branch (DB) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) in the Ramna division.

The DB inspector attempted to submit the final report in court on 23 October impersonating as an inspector from New Market police station, records showed.

According to investigation by Prothom Alo, before submitting the final report, Jahangir Arif did not collect the “memo of evidence” (ME) from DB senior officers, which is required before submitting a report to the court.

Officers involved in the investigation process told Prothom Alo that for submitting a report from the DB, signatures from the assistant commissioner, additional deputy commissioner (administration), deputy commissioner, and additional commissioner are required.

Jahangir Arif falsely identified himself as an inspector of New Market police station to avoid getting signatures from those officials.

As the news of the final report and the exoneration of Anisul and Salman broke, Jahangir Arif went on sick leave.

When efforts were made to take his comment in this regard, he did not respond.

DB sources said that during questioning, Jahangir Arif claimed he was acting under the direction of additional deputy commissioner (ADC) Sanjida Afrin (currently working with APBN).

When asked, ADC Sanjida claimed to Prothom Alo on Tuesday evening that she had not given such instructions. She stated that she did not have the authority to make decisions regarding the submission of final reports in such high-profile cases.

In September 2023, ADC Sanjida was involved in an incident, where two central leaders of banned student organisation Bangladesh Chhatra League, a front of Bangladesh Awami League, along with a leader from Dhaka University, were severely beaten after being detained by Shahbagh police.

According to DB and DMP sources, after the attempt to exonerate Anisul and Salman by submitting the final report, DMP commissioner Sheikh Mohammad Sazzat Ali sought clarification from ADC Sanjida. Her explanation, however, was not found satisfactory to the DMP.

Following the revelation about the exoneration attempt, DMP’s additional commissioner (crime and operations) Rezaul Karim Mallik recommended that action be taken against those involved. As a result, inspector Jahangir Arif was suspended on Sunday.

Meanwhile, the investigation has been reassigned to inspector Mohammad Monirul Islam of the Ramna division of DB.

Recently, the matter became public, and Monirul told Prothom Alo that he is conducting the investigation and attempting to arrest those involved.

The case statement, filed before the fall of the AL government at New Market police station, initially blamed the protesters involved in the movement for quota reform in government jobs, as well as leaders and activists of Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, for the murders.

The final report, however, stated that the leaders and activists of the Awami League and its affiliated organisations were responsible for the incident. The plaintiff had mistakenly accused the leaders and activists of BNP and Jamaat.

In the final report, the investigating officer also wrote that no evidence or testimony was found linking Anisul Huq, Salman F Rahman, and Ziaul Ahsan to the two murder incidents. Therefore, an appeal was made for their acquittal, and the plaintiffs were informed accordingly.

DMP additional commissioner (crime and operations), Mohammad Israil Howlader, told Prothom Alo that the police had filed cases against protesters during the Awami League government. It was decided that such cases would undergo scrutiny before finalising the report.

He further said that the investigating officer committed an offense by submitting the final report without informing senior officials in the two murder cases at New Market police station.

It should be noted that the Special Cell for People’s Uprising published the first draft list on 21 December, revealing that 858 people were killed during the movement of Students Against Discrimination and the mass uprising in July and August.

Earlier, on 28 September, the health subcommittee of the Students Against Discrimination reported that, according to available data, 1,581 people had been killed by that time.

Several cases were filed under the AL government regarding the deaths. In these cases, protesting students, as well as BNP and Jamaat leaders and activists, were accused. It was stated that people had been killed in indiscriminate gunfire by terrorists.

After the fall of the Awami League government, more cases were filed, naming Sheikh Hasina and other ministers of the AL government, along with leaders and activists of the party and its affiliated organisations.

Sources at the police headquarters said that a total of 2,400 cases have been filed across the country related to the people’s uprising and other incidents. Nearly 150,000 people have been accused in these cases. As of last Sunday, 1,200 individuals had been arrested.

Inspector General of Police (IGP) Baharul Alam stated at a press conference on 5 December that the government has been clear that no innocent people should be harassed. However, many cases have been filed from incidents arising from the anti-discrimination movement, with a large number of accused.

He noted that many people are profiting from the cases.

Baharul Alam added that investigations would be conducted by capable police officers, and “Mentoring and Monitoring Committees” have been formed nationwide by division.

Experienced members with substantial investigative expertise will be part of separate “Mentoring Teams” to provide necessary instructions for investigations at the district and police station levels.

Police and court sources have stated that 55 lawsuits have been filed against Anisul Huq, including murder charges, and 48 cases have been filed against Salman F Rahman. They are currently in prison.

Shahjahan’s mother, Ayesha Begum, who is the plaintiff in her son’s murder case, told Prothom Alo on Sunday that her son was shot dead. After the murder, the police filed cases on whim and did not inform her of the accused.

She also said she was unaware of the final report. She stated that the police have cheated with them. She demanded justice for murder of her son.