Splinter injuries caused death of Lt Col Azad

Rab Intelligence Wing Director Lt Col Abul Kalam Azad died as splinters pierced through his left eye and lodged in his brain, said doctors of Dhaka Medical College (DMC) after conducting his autopsy.

The splinters pierced through Azad's left eye and lodged in his brain, which eventually caused his death, Sohel Mahmud, head of forensic medicine department at DMC, told The Daily Star.

Azad suffered injuries in a blast near a militant den in Sylhet city on March 25, and he died at the Combined Military Hospital (CMH) in Dhaka around 12:05am yesterday, said Maj Roysul Azam, deputy director of Rapid Action Battalion's legal and media wing.

Earlier on Wednesday night, Azad was flown back to Dhaka on life support from a Singapore hospital where he had been taken on Sunday for better treatment.

Doctors at Mount Elizabeth Hospital in Singapore found him unfit to be operated on.

Azad had been kept at the CMH since he was brought back.

With his demise, the death toll in the twin blasts near the militant           den at Sylhet's Atia Mahal rose to seven.

The explosion in which Azad was hit took place around an hour after a bomb went off about 400 metres north of Atia Mahal in Shibbari area where militants were holed up since March 24.

The two blasts left two police officials and four civilians dead and 44 others injured. Four militants were later killed in the operation led by army commandos.

BURIAL OF AZAD

Azad was laid to rest at Banani army graveyard in the capital yesterday afternoon.

Bangladesh Army gave him a guard of honour before the burial after Asr prayers.

Earlier, the first namaz-e-janaza of the Rab official was held at Dhaka Cantonment Central Mosque and later the second one at the Rab Headquarters where Rab also gave him a guard of honour.

Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, Inspector General of Police AKM Shahidul Hoque, Rab Director General Benazir Ahmed, Dhaka Metropolitan Police Commissioner Asaduzzaman Miah and Azad's family members, friends and colleagues were present there to pay their last tribute.

The home minister said law enforcers were working together to combat militancy. “We have lost not only an officer, but also a patriot.”

Rab chief Benazir said, “With his demise, we have lost a man with tremendous courage who was always loyal to his duties. His demise will create a vacuum never to be filled by anyone."