Call recordings reveal Hasina ordered Harun’s removal over photos of student coordinators having meal at DB office
A recording of a phone conversation presented as evidence by the prosecution before the International Crimes Tribunal on Wednesday revealed that former Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Additional Commissioner and Detective Branch (DB) chief Mohammad Harun-or-Rashid was removed from his responsibility at the DB on the direct instructions of then Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
In 2024, Harun made headlines when the DB detained six coordinators of the Anti-discrimination Student Movement.
On 1 August that year, he was removed from his post in the Detective Branch and reassigned to the Crime and Operations Division of the DMP.
A phone conversation with then Minister and Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader, Harun could be heard saying that photographs of coordinators of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement having a meal at the DB office were taken and published in the media on the instructions of the then Home Minister and senior police officials.
Another call recording, also presented as evidence, revealed that Harun was removed from his responsibility at the DB on the direct instructions of Hasina over the controversial incident.
The prosecution presented the recordings during its closing arguments before a three-member judicial panel of International Crimes Tribunal-2, headed by Justice Nazrul Islam Chowdhury.
During the arguments in the case filed against seven people, including former Minister Obaidul Quader, over crimes against humanity, the prosecution submitted transcripts of audio call recordings as evidence.
In the recording of a conversation between Obaidul Quader and Harun-or-Rashid presented before the tribunal, it was heard that the decision to feed the coordinators was not Harun’s own.
Harun claimed that the arrangement for the food and the decision to publish the photographs in the media were made on the instructions of then Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal and former SB chief Monirul Islam. He also requested Obaidul Quader to verify the matter, saying that he had not done anything extra on his own.
In the conversation, Harun expressed regret, saying that a decision had been made to remove him from the DB over the publication of the photographs. The former DB chief asked Obaidul Quader what his offence was.
Another call recording between Obaidul Quader and Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal revealed that Hasina had instructed that Harun be removed from his responsibility at the DB.
Asaduzzaman said the Prime Minister had been urging for Harun’s removal for several days, about a week at the time. He said he took action in the matter following the Prime Minister’s instructions. However, to prevent the morale of the police from being affected, it was decided that Harun would be transferred to another post within the DMP.
During the phone conversation, Obaidul Quader advised reconsidering the decision, but the former Home Minister said the final decision had been taken after a meeting with the relevant parties and following the Prime Minister’s remarks.
The main accused in the case involving crimes against humanity committed during the July Uprising include former Minister and Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader, Awami League Joint General Secretary A F M Bahauddin Nasim, former State Minister for Information and Broadcasting Mohammad Ali Arafat, Jubo League President Sheikh Fazle Shams Parash, Jubo League General Secretary Mainul Hossain Khan Nikhil, Chhatra League President Saddam Hossain, and Chhatra League General Secretary Wali Asif Enan.
All seven accused in the case are currently absconding.
On January 22 this year, Tribunal-2 framed formal charges against the accused and ordered the start of the trial.
On August 2, the testimony of a total of 28 witnesses, including the investigation officer, was completed. The case is currently at the stage of closing arguments.