Ex-BCL leader murder: A few questions

The murder of ex-Bangladesh Chhatra League leader Abdullah Al Masud has given rise to a few questions over the heinous crime.

He came under an attack at Binodpur bazar adjacent to Rajshahi University on Saturday night, and the former leader at Rajshahi University unit of BCL, the student wing of Awami League, was critically injured.

Boalia police station officer-in-charge (OC) SM Masud Parvez said Abdullah was attacked on charges of attacking the students and the general people on 5 August.

He also said a group of students first brought Abdullah Al Masud to Motihar police station. As there were no cases related to violence on 5 August with the Motihar police station, the OC said, he was then taken to the Boalia police station so that Abdullah could be shown arrested in any violence-related case.

Questions have been raised why officials at the Motihar police station didn't take injured Abdullah Al Masud to a hospital, why did they allow the students to take him to the Boalia police station and why the police didn't arrest the students.

More questions emerge whether the police stations are active or not and whether the law enforcers are maintaining law and order.

If there was any specific complaint against Abdullah Al Masud, the aggrieved quarters could file a case against him, and the law would take its own course. Instead, a section of unruly people took the law in their hands and carried out barbaric attack on Abdullah Al Masud who had been using a prosthetic limb after losing his leg in an attack in 2014.

In the attack on Saturday night, his remaining leg was broken. After Masud was brought to Boalia police station, a video of him speaking has been circulating on social media.

In the video, while lying in the police station Masud can be heard saying, "I came to Binodpur to get medicine, brother. I was targeted because I used to be with Chhatra League. But my leg was amputated back in 2014. All the tendons were cut. I had stopped being involved with Chhatra League a long time ago."

Hours before his attack, Masud shared a photo of his newborn child on Facebook, writing, “Alhamdulillah. All praises to Almighty Allah. On 3 September 2024, I became the father of a daughter. I pray to Almighty Allah for a long and healthy life. I request all relatives, well-wishers, and friends to pray for me and my daughter."

When he made this posting, he didn't know that he wouldn't be able to see his daughter anymore and his baby girl will grow up without knowing her father.

Masud sustained severe injuries from the mob beating, and with army assistance he was taken to Rajshahi Medical College Hospital. He died there. Rajshahi Medical College Hospital's spokesperson Shankar Kumar Biswas confirmed Masud’s death and stated that the exact cause of death will be determined following an autopsy.

Whether Masud came under the attack for being ex-leader of BCL or not, can be unearthed by an investigation, but the perpetrators have violated the law by carrying out the brutal attack. And the law enforcers who are supposed to capture the law breakers ignored this. Both are liable for the incident.

Meanwhile, special assistant to chief adviser of the interim government Mahfuz Alam at a press conference on Sunday said the government’s stance on mob justice is very clear and no mob justice will be allowed anymore.

He further said legal actions will be taken on all kinds of attacks including mob justice.

Despite repeated assurance from the government high-ups such incidents are taking place one after another as well as justice remaining a far cry.

This time it is expected that a proper investigation will be carried out and the perpetrators will be brought to book. Otherwise, such diabolic incidents will occur one after another unabated!

**Rabiul Islam is a journalist at Prothom Alo. He can be reached at [email protected]