Alamgir Hossain, a 38-year-old small trader, was taken into police custody on the night of December 16 on charges of being a yaba dealer.
He died at Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) on December 21, while undergoing treatment, after spending four days in custody of Uttara west police station and Dhaka Central Jail in Keraniganj.
While police maintained that Alamgir was a yaba dealer, his wife Alo Begum has claimed that he was innocent and police arrested him in a false drugs case before torturing him to death.
A Dhaka Tribune investigation has found that Alamgir spoke to his wife over the phone from police custody and asked her to send Tk50,000 cash.
Also, of the three witnesses of his crime named in the case, one is a police official and the other two are allegedly informers of police, who are also brothers.
According to the First Information Report lodged that night, Alamgir was reportedly detained with 80 yaba pills after police searched him around 9:15pm on December 16 from the northern side of Gausul Azam Bridge in Uttara Sector 7. He was then taken to the Uttara west police station.
Police had seized his mobile phone and wallet after detaining him, which was handed over to Alo Begum after Alamgir died.
But, why and how Alamgir, after he was detained, called Alo and asked her to send Tk50,000 to the police station via a courier, has put a big question mark over the case.
Dhaka Tribune has obtained an audio copy of the recorded 1.02 minute call.
During their conversation, Alamgir, who was clearly in pain while speaking, told his wife that he was in a problem. A man named Lalu will arrive at their house soon and she should give him the money.
Stressing Alo should not share the matter with anyone, because it may create trouble, Alamgir also asked her not to call his phone, as police will receive it.
What happened on December 16?
The case lodged by Uttara west police station’s Sub-Inspector (SI) Mizanur Rahman says he detained Alamgir when he tried to flee from the scene after seeing police.
Alamgir was searched in front of witnesses Rasel and Shamim, and 80 yaba pills wrapped in polythene were found on him. SI Mizanur also called Alamgir a professional drug dealer.
This correspondent recently visited the spot from where Alamgir was detained.
Witnesses Rasel and Shamim sell chatpati on the foothpath near the Uttara Sector 7 bridge, and a police box, which SI Mizanur visits regularly, is just five yards away.
The two brothers admitted that Alamgir was held in front of them.
Requesting anonymity, a small trader, who runs another makeshift shop on the bridge, told Dhaka Tribune that Rasel and Shamim were police’s informers. “The duo has an old relationship with SI Mizanur.”
Dhaka Tribune also spoke to Lal Mia alias Lalu, a cobbler who operates on Road No 18 in Uttara Sector 7, who Alamgir had sent to his wife.
“I did receive a call from Alamgir that night,” Lalu said. “He asked me to go to his house, take Tk50,000 from his wife and take the money to Uttara west police station. I saw Alamgir inside the lockup when I went to the police station.”
“A little later, SI Mizanur brought Alamgir in front of me. When I was giving the money to police, a man named Shanto verbally attacked me, hurdling abusive words. Facing the hostility, I ran away from there and returned the money to Alamgir's wife next morning,” Lalu claimed.
However, Alo Begum said Lalu did not return her the money and may have said, out of fear, what police told him to say.
“Alamgir used to run three rickshaw vans and sold shoes and clothes. He was having some problems with Shanto over those vans. Alamgir sold the vans the day [December 16] he was detained,” she said.
Saying her husband was not involved with yaba in any way, she claimed that police took the Tk50,000 Lalu couriered and the money — Tk35,000 — Alamgir had earned after selling the vans.
Tortured
Alo Begum claimed officials of Uttara west police station severely tortured Alamgir when he was in their custody.
“Several policemen had to carry him to the police vehicle when they were taking him to court. He was in a very bad shape,” she said.
“That day, an SI even made fun of the matter and told me that my husband did not tell them anything even after they beat him mercilessly. They tortured him to death,” Alo added.
According to rights watchdog Ain O Salish Kendra, at least 14 people died in custody of law enforcement agencies just last year.
Reached on January 1 over phone for comment on the incident, Uttara west police station OC Tapan Chandra Saha asked this correspondent: “Why is this even news after 13 days?
“If you want to run a report, investigate yourself,” he said, before disconnecting the call.
The deputy commissioner (DC) and the additional DC of Dhaka Metropolitan Police’s (DMP) Uttara Division were found unavailable for comment, despite repeated attempts.
However, DMP DC (Media) Md Masudur Rahman told Dhaka Tribune that they would investigate if any complaint was filed. “We’ll take necessary action if the allegation against the policemen is proved.”
Bruises
A day after his arrest, Alamgir was produced before a court and then sent to Dhaka Central Jail in Keraniganj.
“We sent Alamgir to Dhaka Medical College Hospital on December 21 after he fell sick. He died there while undergoing treatment,” said Iqbal Kabir Chowdhury, a senior jail superintendent. He, however, did not mention the cause of death.
Meanwhile, Prof Dr Sohel Mahmud, head of DMC’s forensic department, said they had found some bruises on Alamgir’s buttocks during autopsy.
The deceased was also suffering from cardiac issues, he added.
“We have taken samples for viscera tests and will be able to determine the cause of death once we get the report,” he said.
CCTV footage key
Eminent lawyer Dr Shahdeen Malik told Dhaka Tribune that police usually seize everything, including electronic devices, wallet and other important items, from a person while taking them into custody.
“But when that person is in custody, first, bribery is out of question; second, allowing him/her to use mobile phone is also a violation of law,” he said.
“If a suspect dies from any injury after the arrest, it’s clear that he/she was tortured in custody,” he said, and stressed that CCTV camera footages from inside the police station can be analysed to prove that theory.
“If evidence is found, police may take necessary departmental actions, including lodging a murder case, against the officials involved,” added Shahdeen, a Supreme Court lawyer.
However, in most cases, he said, it’s been seen that police officials only receive a slap on the wrist, which include suspension or deduction in salaries.
