A Brahmanbaria court on Wednesday ordered Nabiganar police officer-in-charge (OC) to register a murder case by taking into cognizance the allegations that a businessman of the district’s Nabinagar upazila died last month after being tortured in the custody of the elite force Rapid Action Battalion (RAB).
Senior Judicial Magistrate Nazmun Nahar of Nabinagar, Brahmanbaria passed after a hearing on a case filed on June 1 by Mehedi Hasan, brother of victim Shahnur Alam, 43.
The plaintiff’s counsel advocate Khairul Anam told reporters that RAB-14 Bhairab camp commander Major AZM Shakib Siddiqui, RAB-14 sub-inspector Enamul Haque, one Nazrul Islam of Krishnanagar village, one Abu Taher and seven other unnamed people were made accused in the case.
According to the court sources, the judicial magistrate on Wednesday reviewed the case allegations.
Later the court ordered the OC of the Bhairab Police Station to take legal action after registering a murder case against RAB-14 Bhairab camp commander Major AZM Sakib Siddique and nine other members of the RAB-14 belonging to the same camp in Shahnur Alam murder case.
Plainclothes members of RAB-14 Bhairab camp arrested Shahnur Alam, 43, son of Haji Raisuddin of village Bogdahar under Nabinagar upazila on April 29 last. They took Shahnoor blindfolded.
There were allegations that camp’s commander Major Sakib Siddique beat Shahnur mercilessly inside a torture cell of the camp at about 11.30pm. At one stage of torture, Shahnur lost consciousness.
When he got back his consciousness on the following morning, he was taken to Nabinagar Police Station where RAB lodged a case against Shahnur calling in Abu Taher. Later, Shahnur was sent to jail.
As he fell sick, he was admitted to Brahmanbaria Sadar Hospital on May 4. When his condition was deteriorated, Shahnur was sent to Comilla Medical College Hospital on the same day where he succumbed to injuries on May 6.
Shahnur’s relatives alleged that he died in RAB torture.
The RAB personnel on April 29 arrested Shahnur following allegations that he was involved in realising extortion and setting fire to different houses in the area.
Shahnur’s family on different occasions organised human chain programme and press conference protesting at the alleged killing of Shahnur due to RAB torture.
Source: Prothom Alo
