'Business', vengeance, feud behind implicating people at random

Dulal Rabidas, from Kishoreganj, died of brain haemorrhage, according to the death certificate issued by a local hospital on 27 July last year. Yet, a case was filed against 768 people, including 600 unidentified people, with Kishoreganj Sadar Model police station on 29 November that year on allegation of Dulal Rabidas being killed in the July mass uprising.

Prothom Alo investigation found that allegations of various irregularities, including extortion and harassment over previous enmity, were behind the lawsuit. Even relatives of Dulal Rabidas claimed the allegations brought in the lawsuit were not true. Everything including the time of the incident, detailed description of the killing and list of the accused is fake.

Cases were registered at various police stations across the country after the fall of the Awami League government on 5 August 2024. Cases were also filed over incidents of injuries. But, along with the actual accused or the suspect, many people, including businesspersons, professionals, people from other places and non-political persons, were accused in those cases just to harass them.

Along with the orchestrated cases like that of Dulal Rabidas’ one, many people are also being made accused in different cases in exchange for money. Such dealings allegedly are underway on the pretext of providing assurance of omitting names from cases, police admitting that names were added mistakenly and promising the accused of showing them innocent in the police report. Some people even were allegedly framed as people concerned received monetary privileges from the rivals.

According to data from Police headquarters, at least 1,499 cases, including 499 murder cases, were registered over the casualties of the July uprising movement, and more than 10,000 people have been arrested so far. Police said investigation progressed in many murder cases.

However, reviews of 40 cases, including the Dulal Rabidas case, found many inconsistencies including in making people accused at random. More people were made accused in those cases intentionally than the people who were directly involved in the incidents.

It has been learned from grassroots that leaders and activists of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) mostly played the role of harassingly adding someone’s name in the case.

In some places, several unscrupulous lawyers, police members and agent rings are involved in it. Some were farmed by rivals; some were named for extortions; some were even accused intentionally because of personal or family disputes. People who were active in the July movement or involved with the BNP even face lawsuits.

Bangladesh Legal Aid and Services Trust (BLAST) honorary executive director Sara Hossain told Prothom Alo that various people were named in cases out of personal feud and vengeance. Innocent people must have the opportunity for remedy, she added.

Prothom Alo looked into a total of 40 cases. Of them, 23 are registered with various police stations in Dhaka, nine in Chattogram, six in Narayanganj, and one each in Kishoreganj and Feni. Fourteen of the plaintiffs in these cases are involved with BNP; one of the plaintiffs is a Jubo League activist and he is also accused in another case. Nine plaintiffs did not disclose their political affiliation while the political or professional identity of the plaintiffs of 13 cases remains unknown.

Prothom Alo spoke to over 100 people, including plaintiffs, accused and their relatives, and police to investigate the information of the cases. Allegedly, money was demanded from the accused or monetary transactions were conducted before or after filing 21 cases, while the accused in the remaining 19 cases and their relatives alleged they were named in these lawsuits because of political, business, professional and family disputes.

Police and sources concerned said police members were weak mentally after 5 August and police stations were not in a position to verify the complaints before recording those as cases. Cases were also filed at the court orders many times.

The home ministry even issued a cautionary notice to prevent people from making accused in cases at random. The circular issued on 14 August last year, said various types of trumped up cases, including murder cases are being filed against various people with the intention of carrying out various forms of harassment including extortion and blackmailing. Such intentional cases are deemed criminal offences under the existing laws of the country. People concerned have been instructed to take legal action against those who are carrying out these ill-activities.

High level of the government and the police also repeatedly said no action would be taken against the people who have been accused in various cases just for harassment.

But, the arrest did not stop. Rivals become active to ensure arrest of the accused in the cases filed over business and wealth disputes, as well as police showing more interest in some cases to arrest the accused in exchange for money. In some instances, money was allegedly taken by threatening the accused of being ‘shown arrested’ in new cases even after securing bail from courts. Money was also allegedly taken from many people by including their name in the draft case statement at the beginning.

Meanwhile, a large number of people who were directly involved in the attack on students and people during the July movement are yet to be arrested. Relatives of the martyrs have been demanding justice, but people involved in the investigation said they are struggling to complete the investigation against everyone since a huge number of people were accused in almost all cases.

This correspondent spoke to Inspector General of Police Baharul Alam about this matter. The IGP told Prothom Alo, “10 mentoring and monitoring teams – eight in eight divisions, and one each in the capital and Gazipur - are overseeing the case across the country. I sit with all teams and analyse the cases, thus, harassment of innocent people has come down.”

“Whatever the number of the accused is, a charge-sheet will be filed against those who are directly involved in crimes,” the IGP insisted.

Farmer Babul Mia, 28, and his brother-in-law Saiful Islam, 40, are from Katiadi of Kishoreganj. As they were named in the Dulal Rabidas killing case, they left home fearing arrest.

Babul Mia’s father Bakul Mia said his son and son-in-law were implicated in the case over land disputes. They had never been in politics. They were told to give Tk 50,000-60,000 each if they wanted their names to be left out of the case after the filing of the first case. As they failed to pay the money, they were accused in three more cases later.

A certain Rafiul Alam filed the case for murder of Dulal. Though the plaintiff identified himself as a leader of Gono Odhikar Parishad, he could not say anything about his post.

The case statement said Dulal sustained critical injuries in the bullets fired by Awami League leaders and activists in Gourangabazar intersection area of Kishoreganj on 18 July noon. Afterwards, some 22-23 people beat him indiscriminately. He died on the way to hospital.

Learning about the case, Dulal’s son Bikash Das informed Kishoreganj Chief Judicial Magistrate, Deputy Commissioner, and the police super in writing that his father had a normal death. He also demanded punishment of those who harassed innocent people by filing such a lawsuit.

Kanchan Rabidas, younger brother of Dulal, informed Prothom Alo that his brother was not at the spot that has been mentioned as the place of the murder that day.

The death certificate mentions “stroke” as the reason for Dulal’s death and the date is 27 July.

Prothom Alo requested a person to talk to plaintiff Rafiul Alam by identifying himself as a relative of Babul and Saiful. Rafiul demanded Tk 50,000 each from that person for dropping the names from the case. He also claimed that the money will be given to a certain lawyer and the local police.

Another four accused in the case told Prothom Alo that Tk 50,000-60,000 has been sought from each of them.

Denying the allegations, Rafiul told Prothom Alo, “We have seen killing Rabidas. Many of us filed the case. That is why some names have been included mistakenly.”

The victims of the case formed a human chain in Karimganj of Kishoreganj on 4 January. There they alleged that “local pro-Awami League lawyer” Shawkat Kabir Khokon is involved with filing the lawsuit in exchange for money. He implicated local BNP leaders and activists in the case.

Shawkat Kabir, however, claimed to Prothom Alo that he is a “soldier of the BNP”. His opponents have been running a misinformation campaign against him to harm his reputation.

Prothom Alo investigated 40 such cases. The mobile phone numbers of 11 plaintiffs mentioned in the case statement were found to be switched off. Some of them have either changed their addresses or provided false addresses. As a result, the accused and their relatives are not finding them.

Fourteen of the plaintiffs said some other coaxed them to file the lawsuits. Four of them said only their signs were taken on the paper but the names of the accused were submitted by others.

Ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and important Awami League leaders were accused in the cases filed at the initial stage centering the mass uprising. Apart from them, many others were accused in a number of cases out of ulterior motives.

A murder case was filed against 10 top officials of the police at a police station in the capital in the first week of September last year. Almost none of them were present at the spot during the time of the incident, the police documents said.

Speaking about this to Prothom Alo, an accused police official said the plaintiff demanded Tk 10 million to discard the names of 10 officials. But as they did not pay the money, they were implicated.

When Prothom Alo contacted the plaintiff later, he acknowledged it was true that he did not know the accused. He , however, claimed he did not demand any money.

Two murder cases have been filed at Araihazar police station in Narayanganj against some traders to take illicit benefits. Jubo Dal and BNP leaders were found to be involved with filing of the lawsuits. The statements of the two suits are almost identical. Three owners of an export-oriented readymade garment factory have been accused there.

Prothom Alo came to know about five incidents where money was taken in assurance of dropping the name or for applying to slash the name from the accused.

The plaintiff has applied to drop the name of a trader in Dhaka. Wishing not to be named, the trader told Prothom Alo, “I was not even connected to the case I have been implicated in. Afterwards, when I contacted the plaintiff and gave him Tk 100,000, he applied to slash my name.”

A DMP’s additional deputy commissioner during the July movement is now posted outside Dhaka. A ward-level BNP leader in Dhaka sent an SMS to him asking to send him Tk 500,000 to remain safe from any lawsuit. That official showed the message to this correspondent on 1 January. Later, Prothom Alo could know that the person was a BNP leader. He agreed to drop the name of the police officials upon paying Tk 200,000.

In many cases, some people terming themselves as “aware citizens” filed the lawsuit. In some cases, there have been incidents of filing two cases in one incident, and an application has been submitted.

Fakhrul Islam, a former student of Dhaka University, has been accused in three cases filed with Mirpur police station. Fakhrul, who works at a private company, has been identified as a former leader of the now banned Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL). His two brothers have also been accused in these cases. In two cases, the incident was shown on Friday.

The accused in these two cases alleged Friday, a weekly holiday, was picked as the date of incident to frame professionals like him.

None of the relatives filed the three cases for the murder of Md Selim Ali Sek, 36, Parvez Hossain, 21, and Md Monirul Islam, 41. The cases were filed by three people who identified themselves as “conscious citizens”. The descriptions of the statements in the three cases are almost identical.

Nuru Islam, 40, the plaintiff in Parvez murder case, was reached on the phone. However, when asked about the allegations, he hung up the phone.

Rickshaw puller Mizanur Rahman, the father of teenager Mahmudul Hasan, who died after being shot in Dhaka  on 5 August, could not file a case. He went to file a case in the Dhaka court on 12 September 2024.

Later, he learned that two cases had already been filed in the incident at Jatrabari and Demra police stations. The two cases mention different places where Mahmudul was killed. Mizanur Rahman does not know the two plaintiffs.

He regretfully told Prothom Alo, “The boy was shot and killed during the movement, but I could not file a case!”

Amina Begum has a restaurant in Mirpur. Rabiul Islam (Sumon), who identifies himself a Senior Joint Convener of Bhashantek thana unit Jubo Dal, is her business partner. The duo had a feud over the management of the restaurant. Rabiul was heard saying in a mobile conversation, “I sued the woman (Amina). Let her face it. If she causes further trouble, I will sue her husband and take his job away.”

A person named Md Mostakim filed the case against 346 people, including Amina with Bhasantek police station. In the case statement, Mustakim identified himself as a person who lost his right leg during the movement.  Despite several attempts, he could not be reached as his phone was found to be switched off.

In the case, Amina was accused number 31 and was identified as Vice-President of Dhaka city south Mohila Awami League. But she was not in the list of the committee. According to the case, Amina hit the plaintiff with local weapons, iron rod or stick in the city’s Kafrul on 19 July.

Amina lives in Cumilla as her husband works there. CCTV footage showed Amina was in Cumilla when the incident took place. The victim woman told Prothom Alo that the Jubo Dal leader took control of the restaurant after the fall of Awami League government. Amina said she has been framed.

Amina’s husband has filed a General Diary (GD) with Mirpur model police station. Amina informed Dhaka Metropolitan Police Commissioner regarding the matter in writing on 5 January.

Jubo Dal leader Rabiul told Prothom Alo, “Not one, Amina has been accused in three cases. She is involved with politics, so it is normal that she would be accused in political cases. Let her prove innocence in the court.”

Rabiul said plaintiff Mustakim is involved with Jubo Dal.

Regarding the phone conversation, Rabiul said, “When she (Amina) flexed muscles, we told her that she would lose her job if my party came to power.”

Enayet Karim from Natore’s Singra does business in Dhaka. He was convener of Zia Chhatra Parishad’s Dhaka University unit when he was a student. Enayet got involved with BNP politics. He has been accused in two murder cases related to the July mass uprising with Sutrapur and Banani police stations. He was identified as Awami League leader in the case. Enayet was arrested by Singra police when he had gone to his village on 28 December.

Enayat’s family members held a press conference in Natore demanding his release on 30 December. They alleged Enayet’s nephew Foysal Ahmed, who is a student of Dhaka University, was behind the cases filed against Enayet.

Later, Enayet’s wife Umme Salma told Prothom Alo that Foysal added Enayet’s name in the case due to a family dispute over land. He even confessed this to the family members.

However, Foysal told Prothom Alo that he does not know anything about the case.

“It is true that we have a family feud, but I know nothing about the case. My uncle had been maintaining a liaison with Awami League. So anyone might sue him due to that.”

An analysis of the type of cases shows that people of different professions have been accused in each case. Some accused are cultural activists, some are businessmen, some are journalists, some are police officers and some are bureaucrats. In other words, cases are being filed based on the names of people of a specific class and profession provided by others.

For example, at least 10 police officers have been accused in a case at Shahbagh police Station. On the date of the incident mentioned in the case, an officer with the rank of Additional Superintendent of Police was in Khulna on duty. He has also been accused.

On 29 October, 53 secretaries were accused in a case filed in the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (CMM) court in Dhaka. The case was filed on charges of indiscriminate shooting during the student movement. The case filed by former Chhatra Dal leader Mohammad Zaman Hossain Khan is being investigated by the Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI). A former secretary accused in the case told Prothom Alo that money was demanded from him in various ways regarding the case.

A case has been filed against a former officer of DMP at Motijheel police station. Another case was filed in the court later, naming all the accused in that case. After investigation, it was learned that a BNP leader is behind both cases.

In a murder case in Dhaka’s Jatrabari police station, the president and general secretary of Bangladesh Agro Processors Association (BAPA) and nine members of the committee, who are businessmen from different parts of the country, have been accused.

The plaintiff in this case filed over the murder of Mahadi Hasan has claimed to be the uncle of the martyr. On the other hand, Mahadi's father has also filed a case in the Kadamtali police station as a plaintiff in the same incident. He claims that his son was martyred not in Jatrabari, but in the Kadamtali police station area.

Jagannath University student Ekramul Haque Sajid was shot dead during the mass uprising. Three family members of another martyr of the movement, Tanvir Siddique of Chattogram, were sued in the case filed over Ekramul’s death. They all are involved with politics of Jubo Dal and Chhatra Dal and live in Cox’s Bazar.

Ekramul’s father Md Ziaul Haque filed the case with Kafrul police station on 7 September. Later on 9 September, those three victims filed a written complaint to the DMP Commissioner. They said five members of their family were killed by an attack of Awami League men in Moheshkhali upazila of Cox’s Bazar during the reign of the party. Many members of the family were absconded during the Awami League period. They were accused in the incident that took place in Dhaka despite staying in Cox’s Bazar the whole time of the movement.

Moheshkhali upazila Chhatra Dal’s former Vice President and martyr Tavir Siddique’s cousin Mizanur Rahman Matabbar (accused no. 54) told Prothom Alo, “The plaintiff never saw us, he did not know us and even did not hear our names. Someone just wrote our names and made him sign. We were in Moheshkhali, Cox’s Bazar and Chattogram on that day.”

Mizanur alleged that an Awami League leader of Moheshkhali upazila was behind entering their names in the case due to political feud.

Plaintiff Ziaul Haque told Prothom Alo, “I was not present in the scene. The students and teachers of the varsity who saw the incident provided the names and I filed the case as per the names they provided.”

It has been learned that the investigation of several cases filed over the July mass uprising are at the final stage. Many accused out of vengeance are incarcerated while a large portion of those who directly ordered and shot at students and mass people during the movement are yet to be arrested.

Victims and experts have pressed that only real criminals are identified and arrested while the government’s pledge not to arrest any innocent people is implemented.

Mohammad Nurul Huda, former Inspector General of Police (IGP) told Prothom Alo that police should have been more aware in taking the cases. However, police had to register many cases at the behest of the court.

Nurul Huda further said the accused should be arrested based on proper review so that any innocent people are not harassed. Moreover, there is a chance to take legal steps against those who filed false cases. 

* This report, originally published in the print and online edition of Prothom Alo, has been rewritten in English buy Hasanul Banna, Shameem Reza and Galib Ashraf