'Abducted' pro-AL man owns that SUV
“Abducted” Khandaker Hefzur Rahman, a pro-Awami League man who got a Jatiya Party (Manju) ticket in the January 5, 2014, polls, is the owner of the luxury car recovered from a Kapasia river in Gazipur last month.
Police revealed the information Monday after Hefzur's wife Saleha Begum identified the Toyota Land Cruiser Prado sport utility vehicle at Kapasia Police Station.
The identification of the car gave Saleha some hope of finding her husband, who was “abducted” from the capital by armed men in 2015.
Talking to The Daily Star last night Saleha said she submitted all relevant documents of the vehicle to Kapasia police and investigation officer of the CID.
She said the original number plate of the SUV was Dhaka Metro Gha-11-5756 but when the vehicle was recovered it had Dhaka Metro Gha-11-2029.
Quoting eyewitness Mobarok, a neighbour of Hefzur, Saleha yesterday said seven to eight people armed with shotguns “abducted” her husband, his two bodyguards and his driver from Tejgaon Gulshan Link Road around 7:00pm on September 7, 2015, when he was going to Gulshan.
“They dragged my husband out of his car and forced him into another car and left the scene,” Saleha said.
The bodyguards and the driver were kept inside the Land Cruiser. They were blindfolded and driven around in Dhaka for three hours before they were left near the Sangsad Bhaban area, she said.
On information of her husband's abduction, Saleha first rushed to Badda Police Station but later went to Gulshan Police Station.
“Police didn't even agree to record a case let alone offer their assistance in finding my husband. I waited at the police station that night only to be refused by police to record the case,” said an emotional Saleha.
“Instead of taking the case, then officer-in-charge of Gulshan Police Station advised me to go to the prime minister and seek her help,” Saleha said.
She said Gulshan police eventually recorded the case following directives of the chief metropolitan magistrate's court.
Saleha could not reach the two bodyguards after the incident and driver Shah Alam refused to say anything about it out of fear that his family could be hurt.
In June 9, 2016, police detained driver Shah Alam and freed him after taking his statement about the incident. At that time, Shah Alam told Saleha that he would rather die than say anything about the abduction.
Saleha also filed a writ petition with the High Court later on.
Responding to the HC's queries, chiefs of Rapid Action Battalion and Police and Dhaka Metropolitan Police commissioner said they were investigating the matter.
“I also got responses from the chiefs of police in 64 districts in which they said my husband was not in their hands,” said the mother of two.
“I met the home minister and Rab chief several times. None could tell me the whereabouts of my husband,” she said, adding, “Since filing of the case, police kept telling me that they were investigating. But I didn't get any other information.”
Inspector Quayum of the CID, the investigation officer of the case, was not available for comments.
Abu Bakar Siddique, OC of Kapasia Police Station, said they were assisting the CID with the case. A general diary was filed with Kapasia Police Station after police recovered the SUV.
Police first failed to identify the owner of the car as the number plate was fake. They later traced its owner with the engine and chassis number.
Talking to The Daily Star, Jatiya Party Office Secretary Salauddin Ahmed yesterday said Hefzur was actually not a JP leader as he does not hold any posts in central or local bodies of the party.
“He just got the party nomination before the January 5 national elections to contest from Brahmanbaria-4 constituency,” Salauddin said.
The returning officer cancelled his nomination and Hefzur had filed a case against the decision.
Law Minister Anisul Huq won uncontested from the constituency.
Hefzur's wife said he is actually an Awami League man. He had made an attempt to contest the polls with JP ticket as he did not get nomination from the AL.
He does not hold any posts in the AL either, Saleha said.
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