Since the resignation of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina and her departure to India following the uprising on August 5, seven senior police officers from Rangpur Metropolitan Police and one Range DIG remain at large.
These officers are named in multiple cases, including the murder of six individuals, among them Begum Rokeya University (BRU) student Abu Sayed, during the anti-discrimination movement.
Despite five months passing since the filing of the cases, the police have made no arrests, sparking continued protests by BRU students.
On Thursday, students staged rallies, marches, and human chains demanding the arrest of those accused of Abu Sayed’s murder.
They accused the police of deliberately shielding their colleagues, even after the resignation of Sheikh Hasina’s "fascist regime." The students vowed to escalate their demonstrations to compel the authorities to act.
Abu Sayed’s elder brother, Ramzan Ali, filed a murder case on August 18 at the Rangpur Metropolitan Magistrate Court.
The case named 17 individuals, including the former Inspector General of Police (IGP) Abdullah Al Mamun, Rangpur Metropolitan Police Commissioner Moniruzzaman, former DIG Abdul Baten, , Assistant Commissioners Arifuzzaman and Al Imran, OC Robiul Islam, and former BRU police post-in-charge Bibhuti Bhushan Roy. Additionally, 30–35 unidentified individuals were also cited.
While former IGP Abdullah Al Mamun has been arrested in a separate case in Dhaka, the remaining accused officers have not been seen in Rangpur since August 5.
Ramzan Ali alleges that the murder of Abu Sayed was carried out under the direct orders of these senior officers. He claims that police constable Sujan Chandra Roy and ASI Amir Ali shot Abu Sayed and his companions at close range without warning, resulting in Sayed’s death.
Following the case filing, the accused officers went into hiding. However, constable Sujan Chandra Roy and ASI Amir Ali voluntarily surrendered and were subsequently arrested. The Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI) sought a five-day remand for them, but the court approved only four days. Mid-remand, the PBI reported that the suspects were unwell and requested they be sent to jail.
Advocate Shamim Al Mamun, the plaintiff's chief lawyer, criticized the decision not to record confessional statements under Section 164, calling it unacceptable.
The seven officers still at large are also implicated in several other cases, including the killings of six students during the anti-discrimination movement on July 19, as well as incidents of firing and injuring protesters.
Rahmat Ali, Convener of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement in Rangpur, stated:
“The entire nation saw how Abu Sayed was killed. We fought for our second independence against these injustices. Yet, those responsible for his murder remain at large. We demand their immediate arrest and justice for Abu Sayed. We have waited long enough and will now announce tougher programs to force the administration into action.”
Relatives of other victims, including Abdullah Tahir and businessman Milon, echoed demands for the arrest of the accused officers. Ramzan Ali also urged immediate action against the former police officials named in the case.
Rangpur Metropolitan Police Commissioner Majid Ali confirmed that former IGP Abdullah Al Mamun and Police Commissioner Moniruzzaman had been forcibly retired by the government, while the other accused officers have been absent since August 5. He assured that the PBI is handling the investigation and can provide more details.
Attempts to contact PBI’s Rangpur Police Superintendent Zakir Hossain for a statement went unanswered.