A total of 94 police officers have been named as defendants in 302 cases filed between August 13 and August 28 following allegations of police brutality and misconduct during the July Revolution.
These cases, initiated by the families of victims who were killed or injured during the demonstrations, have drawn significant attention due to the involvement of high-ranking police officials and political figures.
Details of the allegations
The cases have been brought forward by the families of victims who allege that their loved ones were killed or tortured by police during the protests.
The charges, serious in nature, span various legal provisions, including the Explosive Substances Act, 1908, and multiple sections of the Penal Code, 1860.
Accusations range from murder and attempted murder to torture, vandalism, and illegal possession of arms under the Arms Act, 1878.
High-profile accusations
The accused include several high-ranking figures within Bangladesh’s law enforcement agencies. DIG Harunor Rashid, the former additional commissioner (Crime and Operations) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP), faces the highest number of cases, with 38 separate allegations.
These cases primarily accuse him of ordering or directly participating in the shootings that resulted in numerous deaths during the protests.
Former inspector general of police (IGP) Chowdhury Abdullah Al Mamun is named in 36 cases, followed by former DMP commissioner Habibur Rahman, who faces 33 charges.
Biplab Kumar Sarkar, a former joint commissioner of DMP, is also implicated in 27 cases.
These cases have been registered at police stations in Mirpur, Pallabi, Mohammadpur, Adabar, Dhanmondi, Uttara, Jatrabari, Sutrapur, Rampura, Lalbagh, Tejgaon, Shahbagh, and New Market areas.
Of the 94 accused, 90 are named in cases 1 to 8. Among these, 68 police officers and personnel of various ranks are implicated in one case each. Twelve individuals are named in two cases each.
The case statements allege that many of those accused were directly involved in the killings, either by shooting or beating victims to death.
These officials are accused of not only directing but also participating in the violent suppression of the anti-discrimination protests, leading to widespread casualties.
Additionally, former Special Branch (SB) chief and additional inspector general of police Md Monirul Islam is implicated in 11 cases.
Former IGP AKM Shahidul Haque, former joint commissioner of police (Traffic South) SM Mehedi Hasan, and former deputy commissioner (Wari Zone) Mohammad Iqbal Hassan are also named in multiple cases, ranging from seven to eight each.
Challenges in filing cases
The process of filing these cases has been fraught with challenges.
Many plaintiffs have reported significant resistance from police stations in accepting their complaints.
In some instances, police officers allegedly refused to take the cases, leading to delays and frustration for the families seeking justice.
However, recent court orders have mandated the acceptance and investigation of these complaints.
On September 2, the Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate’s Court ordered the acceptance of a murder case filed by the family of 15-year-old Chabid Hossain, who was shot in the head by police on August 5 during a protest demanding the fall of the government.
The case names 75 individuals, including former minister of Road Transport and Bridges Obaidul Quader, senior police officers, and members of the Awami League and its affiliates.
Beyond the recent protests, some of the cases against police officials date back several years, reflecting long-standing grievances and allegations of police misconduct during previous political unrest.
For instance, two complaints have been filed against former IGP Abdullah Al Mamun and former DB chief Harunor Rashid, accusing them of vandalism and looting at BNP’s Nayapaltan central office during a protest in December 2022.
The complaints allege that on the orders of these senior officials, police officers raided the BNP office, causing significant damage and looting valuable items.
