For the first time before any court, Joj Mia yesterday described how some CID officials had orchestrated a cooked-up story in connection with the August 21 attack on an Awami League rally in 2004.
To make him play the role of the key player in the two cases filed over the attack, Joj said the top officials of the Crime Investigation Department (CID) had threatened to implicate him in many false cases, kill him in “crossfire” and endanger the lives of his family members.
But if he agreed, the top officials also promised to make him the approver (royal witness) instead of an accused, and take care of him and the family. He was also assured of being released and sent abroad after the end of trial.
As Joj, having no other way left, decided to walk in their shoes, the CID started “preparing him.” He was shown video footages of the attack to provide him an idea what actually had happened in Bangabandhu Avenue area on that evening.
He was also given a prepared “confessional statement” to memorise and the officials went to great lengths to make sure he sticks to that story until the trials end.
Once a roadside CD seller Joj was also named in some other old cases to prove that he had been a member of a racket which launched the attack. He was also shown some portraits with names.
Joj said these while testifying as a prosecution witness before the Speedy Trial Tribunal 1 of Judge Md Shahed Nur Uddin yesterday. After his deposition, the court adjourned the proceeding until October 13.
Joj also demanded punishment to the CID officials and an assurance that no one becomes victim to state oppression in the future which had happened in his life during the BNP-Jamaat government.
Joj, who studied until class II, was arrested in Noakhali on June 10, 2005 and he confessed on June 26 that he was “involved” in the attack. He was cleared of the charges during the caretaker regime in 2008 and released in March, 2009.
Former CID officials Ruhul Amin and Abdur Rashid were the investigators of the case. They are now accused in the two cases filed over the incident.
At least 24 people, including Awami League women front’s president Ivy Rahman, were killed and over 200 including Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina (then opposition leader) injured in the grisly attack. Motijheel police filed the two cases – one over the murders and the other for the use of explosives.
Recalling his experience, Joj said before all these happened, he had once been caught with bombs and arms by police during a raid at a mess he used to live in the capital’s Tikatuli. However, the arms belonged to his room mates. He got bail after two years, and that was his only crime record.
“I started CD business at Gulistan again and by that time my father passed away. So, I started running my family back in the village. Days were going well,” he told the court.
After several months, he went to his village because of feeling unwell. He stayed there 10-12 days.
One day Moksed, a village watchman, told Joj that Sub-Inspector Kabir of Senbagh police had asked him to take Joj to the police station.
Kabir handcuffed Joj after he had gone to his uncle’s shop in the village with Moksed. He drove Joj to the police station on his motorcycle. When Joj asked Kabir why he had been arrested, the officer said: “You have a warrant in a smuggling case.” But the case is not filed with the Senbagh police.
“You have to stay here [police station] until the CID officials arrive from Dhaka. Your arrest warrant has been sent from Dhaka,” Kabir told Joj.
That day, CID ASP Abdur Rashid went to Senbagh police station and asked all on-duty policemen to leave the room where Joj had been kept.
“When all left, he tied up my hands and blindfolded my eyes. Out of nowhere, he pressured me to admit my involvement in the grenade attack. I saw the incident only on TV. Surprised, I denied, and he started torturing me.”
Rashid then threatened to implicate him in false cases and even put him on “crossfire.”
Joj became scared and begged mercy. “Forgive me sir. My family is poor. I am a poor man,” he said crying. But Rashid did not pay a heed. He took blindfolded Joj in a car to the CID office in the capital’s Malibagh.
“I discovered myself in a room. Along with some plainclothes men around me, Rashid Sir started threatening to kill me and my family members.” Joj replied that he had no idea what had happened at the Awami League rally.
“But we know all. We will teach you. You can only survive if you admit your involvement,” Rashid said.
After Joj agreed, Rashid took him to SP Ruhul Amin’s room at the same office. Ruhul took detail background information of Joj and his family.
“Its superior authority’s order to implicate you in the cases. To avert crossfire, you will have to do what we ask you to do,” Ruhul said.
In that room, Joj was shown video and still pictures of the attack. Another CID official Munshi Atiqur Rahman came there and told Joj some names of criminals and said they were Joj’s cohorts.
“We will also include your name with them in some 2-3 old case cases to make people believe,” Atique told Joj.
When Joj said more cases would endanger his life, Atique replied that the CID would look after all those false cases too.
After Atique left the room, Ruhul told Joj: “If you confess, it will be a relief for us. There is a huge pressure upon us from the superiors about you.”
The CID official then handed Joj over to the OC of Senbagh police station. The next day, he was produced before a Dhaka court.
“During the detention, the CID officials started telling me something to remember. Rashid Sir used to rebuke me if I made a mistake and threatened to kill me. He occasionally showed me some photographs with names and asked to memorise the faces.”
Ruhul Amin one day took Joj to the meeting room at the CID office to meet with some unknown officials. Those officials did not talk to him.
After that meeting, Ruhul started teaching him the cooked-up story three times a day and examined what he had learnt every day. “I had to recall every word to satisfy him.
“One day, Ruhul Sir connected me over phone with the Senbagh OC to talk to my family members. As I wanted to meet them, he assured me of arranging a meeting in future.”
After Joj made the confessional statement, the court sent him to Dhaka Central Jail and then shifted to Kashimpur jail. After 15-16 days, Atique, Rashid and Ruhul visited Joj and reminded him of the deal.
They brought food for him and asked to contact with the jailer if he needed anything in future.
“They said when my mother and sister would come to see me, I should tell them to contact Rashid Sir for monthly expenses. Rashid Sir later gave the money to my mother. Atique Sir visited me occasionally at the jail and reminded me of the deal,” Joj said.
After many days, Ruhul and Atique visited him along with some men including Col Gulzar Uddin Ahmed, then director of Rapid Action Battalion’s intelligence wing.
“Gulzar Sir asked me to tell the truth. He assured that he will try to save me. So, I told him all that happened with me,” Joj said. “Gulzar Sir rebuked Atique in front of me for ruining innocent lives for his interest,” he said.
Later Joj’s mother met him and he was granted bail. Joj was also granted bail in the old explosive case where he had been awarded seven-year jail.
After some days Joj, his mother and sister gave deposition in front of CID official Fazlul Karim, the new investigation officer. They again gave statements after two years before CID official Abul Kahar Akanda, the last IO.
