Dulal Rabi Das, a 64-twelve months-used cobbler, died from a stroke on 18 July 2024. As the one real breadwinner, his loss of life left his family struggling. But their hardships failed to cease there.
On 29 November, a case became filed claiming that Dulal had been killed by pro-Awami League males one day of the quota reform high-tail. Over 450 folk had been accused, with 168 named, along with ousted high minister Sheikh Hasina.
Shortly, one of the important most accused started receiving calls tense money to rob away their names from the case. In response, they reached out to Dulal’s family.
Bikash Das, the deceased’s son, educated The Enterprise Usual, “We don’t desire anybody exploiting my father’s title for interior most accomplish.”
He first realized in regards to the case from his colleague, Rocky Bhuiyan, whose brother became also named within the accusation.
“My father’s loss of life became pure; he died from a stroke whereas heading to the health heart. We have gotten the loss of life certificate,” Bikash acknowledged.
Rocky Bhuiyan, a joint convener of Kishoreganj’s Karimganj upazila unit of Jubo Dal, acknowledged that his brother became a Bangladesh Chhatra League activist but held no decent draw. “My brother and 9 BNP leaders are now being falsely accused and extorted.”
What the case assertion says
As per the case assertion, Dulal became shot within the chest on 18 July within the Rothkhola express of Kishoreganj, the put pro-Awami League males opened fireplace on students protesting for quota reform.
After being shot, Dulal became allegedly overwhelmed to loss of life. He became rushed to a shut by health heart, the put docs declared him tiring, reads the case assertion.
Bikash has already written to the chief judicial magistrate in regards to the difficulty. “Our seek data from is to rob high-tail in opposition to folk which will be attempting to disrupt social cohesion by submitting untrue cases,” he acknowledged.
The case became filed by one Rafiul Alam, who talked about three incidents in his assertion—two murders and his have damage.
The diversified alleged fracture became of Md Rubel Mia, 34, who as per the case became shot to loss of life one day of an anti-executive roar on 4 August.
Alternatively, his loss of life certificate states he died from irreversible cardiorespiratory failure triggered by acute myocardial infarction, as documented by Shahid Syed Nazrul Islam Scientific School.
“My husband became now not shot,” acknowledged Rubel’s wife Majeda Akter. “We bought a name round 11:55am saying Rubel became taken to the health heart with breathing issues.”
The family rushed to the health heart and arranged his transfer to Shahid Syed Nazrul Islam Scientific School. “I spoke to him on the health heart,” Majeda acknowledged.
Rubel’s father, Azharul Islam, has also written to the chief judicial magistrate, claiming the case is untrue. He acknowledged that Rubel collapsed one day of the roar and later died.
When asked in regards to the case, Abdullah Al Mamun, officer-in-mark of Kishoreganj Sadar Model police put of residing, acknowledged, “We registered the case after steady verification. The plaintiff is a coordinator of Gono Odhikar Parishad and became all for the high-tail.”
This case is now not the correct one. Since 5 August, several untrue cases have been filed to harass or intimidate others.
Plantiff Rafiul’s version
Rafiul Alam described himself as a “fighter” of the student-led mass uprising, claiming he became injured one day of the high-tail. “I now now not lend a hand any draw in Gono Adhikar Parishad,” he acknowledged.
When asked in regards to the case, Rafiul acknowledged he documented what he witnessed. “They sustained bullet accidents in entrance of us one day of the high-tail. Later, they had been taken to the health heart, the put the on-responsibility doctor pronounced them tiring. In the case assertion, I described precisely what I seen,” Rafiul claimed.
“I filed the case because they had been my comrades within the high-tail, and I enjoy the investigation will point to the reliable info,” he added.
Alternatively, sources instruct that Rafiul has accused native residents—largely businessmen—within the case and is now tense money from them to rob away their names.
TBS got a name recording of a purported dialog between Rafiul and a relative of one accused, the put Rafiul urged contacting any other particular particular person to tackle the payment discreetly. “I could present his quantity, but you need to always have to keep secrecy. If I face any disaster, you will undergo extraordinary more,” Rafiul acknowledged at one point within the dialog.
Rafiul refused to assemble any comment on the phone name.
Rising experiences of untrue accusations
After 5 August, following the tumble of the Hasina regime amid a bloody mass uprising, a troubling fresh speak has emerged across the nation.
Damage cases are being filed indiscriminately, in general along with harmless folk as the accused. In many conditions, money is being demanded from the accused to have their names removed from these cases.
In line with a 28 September report by the express-roam Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS), over 1,500 folk had been killed and bigger than 22,000 injured one day of the month-prolonged violent protests. The Police Headquarters’ public relatives department reported that 2,500 cases have been filed in connection with these events.
Lately, three leaders of the Chhatra Dal Rajshahi College unit had been expelled for allegedly tense money from a Bangladesh Chhatra League chief to rob away his title from a case.
On 27 October, an tried fracture case became filed in court docket, naming 85 folk, along with Feni District Awami League Usual Secretary Nizam Uddin Hazari.
Ibrahim Patwari, a businessman who had been residing in Dhaka for over two a long time, became also accused within the same case. He later got bail from the court docket.
Ibrahim claimed that he became in Dhaka one day of the time of the alleged clash talked about within the case. “I wasn’t in Feni one day of that time, to now not mention taking share in any high-tail on behalf of fascist Hasina,” he acknowledged.
Lately, there have been makes an strive to title Ibrahim as an accused in two more cases in Feni. After learning about these efforts, he managed to earn his title removed with the aid of BNP district-stage leaders.
Ibrahim acknowledged that he comes from a BNP-supporting family, with two of his brothers maintaining Jubo Dal positions within the Parshuram upazila of Feni district.
“No matter being share of a BNP family, I became mentally careworn and financially harmed with out reason,” he added.
Concerns over justice, accountability
Human rights workers are concerned that the dear perpetrators could well additionally honest now not be punished because harmless folk are being wrongly accused.
Supreme Court lawyer Shahdeen Malik acknowledged that the cases filed after the July uprisings have turn correct into a source of corruption. In many cases, 200 to 250 folk are named as accused, most of whom had no involvement. Money is in general extorted from them to rob away their names from the FIR.
Malik expressed speak about guaranteeing justice, saying, “With so many accused in a single case, it turns into virtually impossible for the investigation officer to habits a steady inquiry, allowing the reliable perpetrators to head free.”
Iftekharuzzaman, executive director of Transparency Global Bangladesh (TIB), acknowledged, “A team of beneficiaries has emerged after Hasina’s ousting, who’re submitting fracture cases in opposition to harmless folk and then tense money to rob away their names.”
Describing this as a continuation of previous regime practices, Iftekharuzzaman known as for a united effort by political parties to uphold human rights. “Motion must silent be taken in opposition to those all for such offences,” he pressured.
Authorities’ responses
Several makes an strive had been made to contact Dwelling Affairs Adviser Md Jahangir Alam Chowdhury for feedback, but he failed to reply.
Alternatively, DMP Commissioner SM Sazzad Ali acknowledged the difficulty of untrue cases and extortion, declaring that some police officers are also all for this illicit job.
“We’re taking high-tail in opposition to the officers responsible and have suggested the officers-in-mark of the relevant police stations to file extortion charges in opposition to those making untrue complaints,” he acknowledged.
