Hasan Ali

Family members of the man, whose body was found at now-suspended Awami League leader's house in Gaibandha, alleged that police dillydallied recording a murder case for hours, saying that the complaint should make no mention of the role of two police officers.

"We submitted the FIR to the police around 10:30pm on Saturday, accusing five men. But they recorded the case around 2:00pm the next day with three accused," said Saheda Akter Lipi, sister-in-law of Hasan Ali, whose body was found at AL leader Masud Rana's house on Saturday.

"Police asked us repeatedly to drop the name of ASI [assistant sub inspector] Mossarof Hossain and Inspector Mojibur Rahman of Gaibandha Police Station," she told The Daily Star.

Finally, Hasan's widow Beethi Begum filed the case accusing three men, said Hasan's brother-in-law AKM Mamunur Rashid Kollol.

Masud Rana, who was the deputy office secretary of Gaibandha AL, is the prime accused while the others accused are Rumen Haque, 38, and Khalilur Rahman Babu, 48. The duo helped Rana abduct Hasan, he added.

The plaintiff mentioned in the statement that the two police officers held a meeting with the victim, his family members, and local AL leader Rana in mid-March.

Police asked the family members to pay the money Hasan owed to Rana. When the family members refused to do that, Rana, aided by police, insisted that Beethi sign a blank cheque and a blank piece of paper to have Hasan released. When Beethi refused to do that, police handed Hasan over to Rana, the statement said.

Hasan was held captive at Rana's home since then. Since Rana is a powerful man, he physically and mentally tortured Hasan at his house until Saturday, when Hasan's body was found hanging in a bathroom of Rana's house.

Contacted, Additional Superintendent of Police Elius Ziku said a probe body had been formed to look into the role of police.

He added that Rana was placed on a four-day remand by a court in the district. Police are looking for the two other accused.

The three-member probe body is headed by an additional superintendent of police. It has been asked to investigate whether there was any negligence in duty on the part of the police and to submit a report in seven work days, Superintendent of Police Touhidul Islam told a press conference yesterday.

DEMONSTRATIONS

The victim's family members, local business owners, and the general public formed a human chain in front of Asaduzzaman Market in the town and demanded an impartial investigation into the death.

"We went to the police to rescue my husband. But the police did not help us. They supported Masud Rana, who killed my husband. I demand punishment for the killer as well as the policemen who helped him," Beethi said at the human chain.

Sirajul Islam Babu, general secretary of Gaibandha Bar Association, said, "It has been proven that a few police men showed sheer negligence in their duties. They must be tried."

Leaders of Gaibandha Chambers of Commerce announced that they would hold another human chain today and submit a memorandum to the deputy commissioner and the SP demanding justice.

In another development, Gaibandha AL at a press conference announced that Rana was suspended from his post in the party.

"We came up with the decision following directives from our party high-ups," Abu Bakkar Siddik, general secretary of the district AL, told reporters at the AL office in the town.

Meanwhile, an autopsy of Hasan's body was not complete until last evening, said Harun Ur Rashid, resident medical officer at Gaibandha General Hospital.