Who would investigate the recent freedom fighter suicide case in the capital is now a question the authorities are puzzling over.
Liberation War Affairs Minister AKM Mozammel Haque claimed that the case was handed over to the specialised police division Criminal Investigation Department (CID). However, CID spokesperson Abdullah Hel Baki denied the claim to the reporters.
In the meantime freedom fighter commanders in the capital confined the accused Liberation War Affairs Secretary MA Hannan in the conference room at the secretariat yesterday after he denied knowing the deceased freedom fighter Ayub Khan – who committed suicide after being insulted by the secretary. Later, the police freed him.
The investigating officer of Shahbagh police station Sub-Inspector (SI) Mamun Farazi, also said he was investigating into the case. And only the letter were sent to CID for verification.
Earlier in the day, the Secretary MA Hannan told reporters that he did not remember the freedom fighter who committed suicide for allegedly being grabbed by the neck and driven out of the secretary’s residence. He claimed the incident described in the suicide note never took place.
On Tuesday morning, Ayub Khan, the former commander of Satkania upazila unit of the Muktijoddha Sangsad, was rescued in critical condition from a hotel room at Dhaka’s Topkhana Road 10. He had been staying there for the last 15 days.
On that morning, as stink of pesticide came out of his room, the hotel authorities contacted police. When police broke the door in, Ayub Khan was found unconscious.
A handwritten note was found beside his body that read “...after being insulted and pushed away by Liberation War Affairs Ministry Secretary M A Hannan, I’m committing suicide,” police source said.
The 62-year-old was immediately taken to Dhaka Medical College and Hospital where he died around 11am.
An unnatural death case over the incident was filed with the Shahbagh police station.
The investigating officer SI Mamun Farazi said police had sent the suicide note to CID at Malibagh to confirm that it was written by Ayub. Asked about the progress, he said police had made some progress but that could not be expressed right now.
In the meantime, Secretary MA Hannan said many people pay visit to the minister and him at the ministry. That freedom fighter may have went to him but he said he could remember Ayub. Hannan added that no one can easily enter his Eskaton house. “Such an incident did not happen at Eskaton Garden or even at the ministry.”
When journalists asked the reason behind involving him in the suicide note he said: “That’s my question, too.”
He claimed that the Muktijoddha Sangsad unit mentioned in the suicide note was not under his jurisdiction. So, Ayub did not need to contact him about the matter.
