No case was filed over the death of 60-year-old Shamsul Haque in the capital’s Nayatola as of yesterday, with police claiming he had died of old age problems.
But family members claimed yesterday that he had been beaten to death by accomplices of Dhaka Metropolitan Police Deputy Commissioner (logistics and procurement) Imam Hossain. They say the police now refuse to take a case.
Shamsul’s family say he was killed in a dispute over a piece of land. They claim that Shamsul’s autopsy was delayed and expressed doubts about the preliminary probe into the death.
Shamsul married twice and lived with both his wives. His first wife, Nazma Begum, refused to comment on his death but his second wife, Jhorna Begum, said Nazma, while returning home on Saturday evening, had seen five or six men, including Imam’s brothers Morshed and Shahidul, running out of the house.
“Nazma came in and found Shamsul bleeding from the forehead. He was taken to hospital where he was pronounced dead.”
Jhorna said: “He leased some shops on the land but one of the lessees forged a land deed and sold the property to Imam. The police official later grabbed the land and began collecting rent.
“Shamsul filed a case and the court declared him the owner of the land. But the dispute with the policeman continued,” she said.
Shamsul’s autopsy was done yesterday by Dr Pradip Kumar Das of the Dhaka Medical College forensic department. He said the reason for the death could not be determined but that tissue samples had been sent to the lab for further testing. “There is a deep injury on Shamsul’s forehead,” Dr Pradip said.
Imam said yesterday that he bought the land two years ago but had a dispute with Shamsul over the land’s boundary.
“The real cause of Shamsul’s death can be known after seeing the autopsy report,” Imam added.
