Raihan murder: Court asks fugitive accused to surrender

A Sylhet court on Wednesday asked the authorities concerned to publish an advertisement in newspapers asking Abdullah Al Noman, a fugitive accused in a case over Raihan Ahmed's death at Bandarbzar police outpost, to surrender before it, reports UNB.

Sylhet chief metropolitan Magistrate Mohammad Amirul Islam passed the order, said Barrister MA Fazal Chowdhury.

Earlier in the day, police produced the five accused in the murder case including then in-charge of Bandarbazar police outpost suspended SI Akbar Hossain Bhuiyan before the court amid tight security.

Barrister MA Fazal Chowdhury said police conducted a drive at the house of Noman but did not find anything related to the case. The authorities concerned will take steps to publish advertisements in at least two newspapers about Noman to let him know about the court proceedings, he said.

On 30 September, a Sylhet court accepted the charge sheet submitted by police against six people, including suspended SI Akbar Hossain Bhuiyan, in the case.

The court also issued a warrant for arresting absconding accused Abdullah Al Noman, who had allegedly helped Akbar flee the country, said Sylhet metropolitan police inspector Pradeep Chandra Das.

Akbar was arrested from the Dona frontier area of Kanaighat on 10 November. The other four accused in the case are sub-inspector Hasan Ali, assistant sub-inspector Ahshque Elahi, and constables Harunur Rashid and Titu Chandra Das of Bandarbazar police outpost. All the accused policemen are currently in judicial custody.

On 5 May, the Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI) submitted the charge sheet in the case. According to the charge sheet, Akbar, constables Harunur Rashid and Titu, and ASI Asheque were directly responsible for Raihan's custodial death.

On 11 October last year, the 34 year old resident of Akharia in Sylhet city was allegedly beaten to death in police custody.

His wife Tahmina Akter Tanni filed a complaint at the Kotwali police station the following day, following which an FIR was registered against unidentified people.

Four policemen, including then in-charge of the Bandarbazar police outpost Akbar, were suspended on 12 October. The three other policemen were also withdrawn from the outpost the same day. Later, the case was transferred to the PBI.