Jashore 2016 ‘gunfight’: Former duty officer recounts torture, staged shooting that disabled two youths

A former duty officer of Chaugachha Police Station in Jashore on Wednesday testified before the International Crimes Tribunal about the illegal detention, torture and shooting of two young men in 2016, saying the incident was later presented as a “gunfight”.

Sub-Inspector (unarmed) Md Mominul Islam, who was serving as the duty officer at the station at the time and is now posted with the Dhaka District Police’s District Special Branch, gave his testimony.

Mominul said the two men, Israfil and Ruhul Amin, later developed severe infections in their injured legs while receiving treatment in hospital.

As the infections worsened, doctors eventually amputated one leg from each of them, leaving both permanently disabled.

Mominul named then Jashore SP Anisur Rahman, OC Mashiur Rahman, SIs Mokhlesur Rahman, Jamal Uddin and Akikul Islam, ASI Majedul Islam, and constables Zahurul and Sazzad as directly involved in the alleged illegal detention, torture and shooting.

He also testified that more than 50 young people affiliated with Bangladesh Chhatra Dal, Bangladesh Islami Chhatra Shibir and other opposition groups were similarly shot in the legs during Anisur’s tenure as Jashore SP.

Mominul served at Chaugachha Police Station from 2014 to 2017 and was the duty officer from 8am on August 3 to 8am on August 4, 2016.

He told the tribunal that between 5pm and 6pm on August 3, then sub-inspectors Mokhlesur, Jamal and Akikul, along with assistant sub-inspectors Majedul and Sirajul, brought two young men, Israfil and Ruhul Amin, to the duty officer’s room after detaining them.

When Mominul tried to record their names and addresses in the detainee register, the officers allegedly stopped him, saying there was no need to make the entries. They allegedly instructed him to keep the two men in the lock-up without showing them as accused in any case or producing arrest warrants, claiming that the officer-in-charge and superintendent of police were aware of the matter.

Mominul said he checked the general diary and case records and found no entry concerning the two men’s detention or any operation involving them.

He then informed the then officer-in-charge, Mashiur Rahman, who allegedly told him, “I and the SP are aware of the matter. Keep them in the lock-up without recording their names in the register.”

Mominul said he explained his legal obligations as duty officer but was ultimately forced to send the two men to the lock-up.

At around 11pm, the two detainees were allegedly taken to the OC’s room and beaten during interrogation. After about an hour to an hour and a half, they were returned to the lock-up.

Mominul said he saw Israfil and Ruhul limping and crying in pain when they were brought back.

The following morning, Mominul handed over his duties to ASI Firoz Iqbal, briefed him about the incident and left for the barracks.

He returned to the station around noon and found that the two men were no longer in the lock-up. When he asked about them, he was told that SI Akikul, accompanied by other personnel, had taken them to the Detective Branch office on the SP’s instructions.

Staged gunfight

Mominul went to the OC’s room and saw SIs Mokhlesur and Jamal and ASI Majedul speaking quietly with the OC. According to his testimony, they stopped talking when they noticed him.

Between 1am and 1:30am, a constable came to the duty officer’s room and reported that two police personnel had been injured in a gunfight at Bandulitala.

Mominul said he later learned that no police personnel had actually been injured and that the incident had allegedly been staged.

According to his testimony, Israfil and Ruhul, who had been taken to the DB office the previous day, were shot at close range in one leg each, with guns pressed against their legs. The incident was then presented as a gunfight, he said.

On August 5, 2016, SI Mokhlesur Rahman filed two cases against the two men, which Mominul described as false. One was filed under the Arms Act and the other under provisions relating to explosives and assault on police.

SI Jamal Uddin later investigated the cases and submitted charge sheets to the court, according to Mominul.

Mominul said such incidents were allegedly used to target young people and permanently disable them in an effort to suppress protests against government actions and democratic movements.

He called for those responsible for the alleged extrajudicial killings, torture and permanent disabilities to face exemplary punishment.