Diplomatic zones are highly sensitive areas, which is why questions have arisen about how a mentally unstable person was on duty in such a location with arms.
Constable Monirul was killed and two pedestrians were wounded when Constable Kawsar Ahmed opened fire near the Palestinian embassy in the capital's Baridhara in the early hours of Sunday.
Kawsar’s wife Nilufar Yasmin told Dhaka Tribune that he has had mental health issues for some time.
There have been signs of mental health issues since he joined the police force, she said. “When he faces mental health issues, he talks very little.”
When asked if he took drugs, Kawsar’s wife dismissed the line of inquiry categorically, saying he does not even have enough money to indulge in such habits.
“He suffered from mental health problems while working in Rangamati. Kawsar also has a prescription for his issues.
“He was very stressed about the job. Six hours of duty would turn into eight hours. Apart from this, he was tense about various issues,” she told the Bangla daily Prothom Alo.
“Kawsar last spoke to his parents on the phone at around 8pm on Saturday. At that time, Kawsar said he had applied for leave for Eid and that he would visit home this Eid-ul-Azha,” she added.
Nilufa said she learned about the shooting at 3am on Sunday after a police officer named Amjad Hossain from Dhaka informed her about it on the phone.
Meanwhile, Kawsar’s stepbrother Masud Rana told Dhaka Tribune: “Kawsar has been in a troubled state of mind for quite some time, after his employment. If he has a problem mentally, he comes home, uses abusive language and vandalizes things. Once, he was taken to the local police station with the help of the administration. Later, he was taken from there with his hands and feet tied and treated.”
“I took him to Pabna (the mental hospital) twice, and my father took him once for treatment,” he added.
In response to a question about what happened in Baridhara, Masud said Kawsar’s health has been in a bad state for five days. He was facing mental health issues. That is all I heard, I did not know about anything else.”
According to Kawsar’s family and locals in his hometown, Daulatpur, Kawsar joined the police in December 2005 and got married in August 2006. His mental issues first surfaced in 2010. He fell ill several times while in the police force and received treatment for his issues. However, his family said that there were no issues within the family.
Constable Kawsar Ahmed fatally shot Constable Monirul Islam during an altercation in front of the Palestine embassy in Baridhara.
Witnesses said they saw Monirul and Kawsar in a heated argument after 11pm.
Kawsar then began firing indiscriminately, hitting Monirul in the chest and killing him instantly. He reportedly fired 38 rounds of bullets.
What the DMP is saying
However, DMP has not yet disclosed the nature of the argument or the reason for Constable Kawsar's agitation, and an investigation is underway to find out the details.
DMP Additional Commissioner (Crimes and Operations) Dr Kh Mahid Uddin said: “I believe Constable Kawsar Ahmed is mentally disturbed. He was visibly shocked by the shooting, repeatedly saying, 'How did it happen? I do not know.' This indicates he was mentally distressed. After the incident, he was walking around with his weapon because he could not handle the stress. He realized the gravity of his actions after the fact. Perhaps in a day or two, the reason for the shooting will become clear.”
When asked if Constable Kawsar was mentally disturbed due to extra duty, Mahid Uddin responded: "No, there is no issue related to his duties. There is no extra pressure on duty anywhere at the moment. Everyone is performing their duties as usual."
He continued: "Institutionally, we do not have a counselling system. However, regular briefings include discussions on what can and cannot be done, which serves as a form of counselling."
In this regard, Gulshan police station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Mazharul Islam said Constable Kawsar was "mentally stressed."
The shooting caused widespread panic, leading to road closures in the surrounding area afterwards.
Meanwhile, Inspector General of Police Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun announced that a thorough investigation into the shooting was underway.
