Id’ing Harris: ‘Daughter calls for a DNA test’

A letter, purportedly written by Harris Chowdhury's daughter, has requested the authorities to conduct a DNA test, if necessary, to confirm the identity of the BNP leader.

The development comes amid a debate whether Harris died at a city hospital last year while undergoing treatment under a fake name.

The letter, dated March 15 and addressed to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, read Harris was admitted to the Evercare Hospital under the name Mahamudur Rahman, and there he died of Covid on September 3 last year.

It said the hospital issued a death certificate to the name of Mahamudur Rahman that he took to conceal his real identity. He was then laid to rest on a madrasa premises in Savar.

The Daily Star obtained a copy of the letter, which mentions Samira as the sender and daughter of Harris. But the newspaper could not reach the sender or any family member of Harris.

The letter further read Samira had already written to the home ministry and sent copies to the law enforcement agency concerned, urging them to collect her DNA samples to perform any necessary test to confirm the identity of the deceased.

It urged the authorities to permit burial of his father's remains at the family's own burial ground in Kanaighat of Sylhet.

Asked what action the Criminal Investigation Department is considering following the letter, CID chief Additional Inspector General Mahbubur Rahman yesterday said, "It is a legal issue and we cannot take any action based on any open letter."

He added, "We will look into the matter if it comes following due procedure. …She can go to the court and if the court directs us, we will definitely look into it."

Replying to queries at a press briefing in the city, AKM Hafiz Akter, additional deputy commissioner (Detective Branch) of DMP, said, "Investigation is underway and once it ends, we will able to say if it was Harris or not."

Harris was the political secretary of former prime minister Khaleda Zia and a convicted fugitive in the August 21 grenade attack case. In May 2007, an anti-graft tribunal sentenced him to three years' imprisonment for not submitting wealth statement to the Anti-Corruption Commission. He was also sentenced to seven years in prison in the Zia Charitable Trust graft case.

On January 11 this year, various media outlets ran reports on Harris's death quoting his daughter and based on a Facebook post of his cousin Ashiq Chowdhury that claimed the BNP leader passed away.

A day later, the National Central Bureau at the Police Headquarters wrote to the CID on January 12, asking it to investigate whether Harris was dead.

Amid the police investigation, a newspaper reported that Harris was admitted to the Evercare Hospital as Mahamudur Rahman with Covid complications and died there.