A court on Saturday placed a police constable who was suspended over the death of Raihan at Bandarbazar police outpost in Sylhet on a five-day remand.  The accused cop was identified as Harunur Rashid, constable of Bandarbazar police outpost. Metropolitan Magistrate Judge Sharmin Khanam passed the order, said Investigation Officer Muhidul Islam of Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI). Rashid was arrested on Friday night. Earlier, on October 20, PBI arrested constable Titu Chandra Das in the case. He is now on a five-day remand. On October 11, Rayhan Ahmed, 34, a resident of Akharia in Sylhet city, was beaten to death in police custody, said the family of the victim. His wife Tahmina Akter Tanni filed a case with  Kotwali Police Station on the following day accusing a number of unidentified people. Besides, the authorities on October 12  suspended four policemen, including the in-charge of Bandarbazar Police outpost Sub-Inspector Akbar Hossain, in connection with the death of a man ‘in police custody’ in Sylhet. They are-- SI Akbar Hossain Bhuiya, constable Harun Rashid, Touhid Mia and Titu Chandra. Akbar has gone into hiding. Three policemen have been withdrawn in this connection on the same day. They are Ashek Ali, Kutub Ali and Sajib Hossain. Police rejected the allegation and said Rayhan was caught by locals of Kastghar area during a robbery and was lynched. Besides, the case has been transferred to the Police Bureau of Investigation. Meanwhile, Sylhet Metropolitan Police formed a probe body headed by its additional deputy commissioner Shahrier Al Mamun to look into the death of Raihan. After primary investigation, they found some policemen guilty in this connection. Source: UNB AH

Three policemen of Bandarbazar Police outpost testified before a magistrate in connection with the death of Raihan Ahmed ‘in police custody’, on Monday. Police constables Delwar, Saidur and Shamim testified before the Sylhet Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Zihadur Rahman under section 164 of the Code of Criminal Procedure. All of them are working at Bandarbazar Police Outpost and they all are witnesses of the incident, said Mahidul Islam, inspector of PBI and also the investigation officer of the case. Raihan, 34, a resident of Akharia in Sylhet city, was beaten to death in police custody at the Bandar Bazar police outpost on October 11, his family said. His body was exhumed for a second post-mortem examination and buried again on October 15. The district administration allowed the exhumation following an appeal by Kotwali police Sub-Inspector (SI) Abdul Baten, the previous investigation officer of the case till PBI took over. PBI is currently investigating the case at the instructions of the police headquarters. The Sylhet Metropolitan Police has handed over the documents of the case to PBI. The authorities on October 12 suspended four policemen, including the in-charge of Bandarbazar Police outpost Sub-Inspector Akbar Hossain, who has gone into hiding. PBI said it is looking for suspended SI Akbar and has alerted the immigration police to prevent him from leaving the country. Raihan’s wife Tahmina Akter Tanni filed a case at Kotwali Police Station on October 12 accusing a number of unidentified people. Source: UNB AH

The court has awarded life term imprisonment to three people including Sub Inspector (SI) Jahid in connection with the custodial death of Jony. The remaining two have been sentenced seven years imprisonment. Dhaka Metropolitan Sessions Judge KM Imrul Kayesh delivered the verdict on Wednesday. It is the first verdict under Torture and Custodial Death Prevention Act. The other life term imprisonment awarded accused are- assistant sub inspector (ASI) of Pallabi police station Rashedul and ASI Kamruzzaman Mintu. The seven years imprisonment awarded accused are- source Suman and Rashed. According to the court sources, Metropolitan Sessions Judge Imrul Kayesh fixed the date for delivering verdict on August 24 after completion of arguments presentation by the state and defendant. Additional public prosecutor Taposh Kumar Paul said, we have presented all sorts of evidences before the court. We hope that the accused will get ultimate punishment. On the other hand lawyer of the defendant Faruk Ahmed said, the accused were performing duty of the state. The autopsy report of Jony showed that he suffered a heart attack. There was no incident of torture. We hope the accused will be acquitted. According to the case report, on February 8, 2014 at a wedding program at Mirpur section-11 police source Suman showed indecent attitude to the ladies presented there. At that time Jony and his brother asked Suman to leave the place. Again on the following day Suman showed indecent attitude. At that time Jony and his brother again asked Suman to leave but Suman phoned police and police left the place taking Jony and his brother. At that time local people chased the policemen and police fired blank fires. At the police station police tortured Jony. At one stage Jony was taken to the National Hospital under critical condition. As the condition deteriorated he was shifted to Dhaka Medical College Hospital. There the duty doctor declared Jony dead. On August 7, 2014 Jony’s younger brother Imtiaz Hossain Rocky filed a case with Dhaka Metropolitan Sessions Judge Court accusing eight people in connection with his brother’s death. Dhaka Metropolitan Sessions Judge Kamrul Hossain Mollah indicted Pallabi police station SI Jahidur Rahman Jahid, ASI Rashedul, ASI Kamruzzaman Mintu, Source Suman and Rashed on April 17, 2016. AH