Torab Ali, former ward-level leader of Dhaka city Awami League who was recently acquitted by the High Court of conspiracy charges in the 2009 BDR carnage case, died on Friday morning. He was 80 years old.
He died of cardiac complications at the Coronary Care Unit of Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) around 6am, confirmed SI Bachchu Mia of DMCH police outpost.
Torab, who served as the president of the ruling party’s Hazarbagh unit in Dhaka, was among the 12 people acquitted of the charges by the High Court last year. He was also one of the two politicians sentenced to life in prison by the trial court over the killings at Pilkhana during the BDR mutiny in 2009.
Despite being acquitted, the former Awami League leader was still languishing in prison since the Dhaka Central Jail authorities had yet to receive documents regarding his release.
He was hospitalized on Wednesday after he fell ill.
His body was handed over to his nephew Shahidul Akan and other family members on Friday evening after autopsy, our DMCH correspondent reported.
His autopsy report was prepared by Dhaka district Assistant Commissioner and Executive Magistrate Rula Laila, said Torab's daughter Tahmina Akhter and nephew Shahidul.
Also Read - BDR carnage case: Why was ex-Awami League leader Torab Ali spared?
The reasons behind Torab’s acquittal could not be known as the full text of the High Court’s verdict has not been published yet.
A trial court convicted Torab for conspiracy based on his confessional statement, while also accusing investigators of bias for not recording witness accounts against Torab.
In its 2013 verdict, the trial court said Torab Ali came to know about the mutiny conspiracy on the night of February 24, 2009 from Zakir Hossain, who operated the Prime Coaching Centre used by the BDR soldiers to publish their leaflets.
Despite this knowledge, Torab did not inform the law enforcement agencies or the authorities concerned. Instead, the following day – the first day of the mutiny – he brought out processions at Gates 1 and 5 of the BDR headquarters in Pilkhana.
The marchers chanted slogans, such as “BDR, Janata bhai bhai” (the BDR soldiers and the people are brothers).
The BDR men also held clandestine meetings at Torab’s residence. They also contacted Pintu, who organized the rebel soldiers to bring out processions inside the BDR headquarters before the mutiny began.
Monday, March 17, 2025
