Former policeman seen with firearm during Kushtia clash

The man who was seen wielding a firearm during Saturday’s clash between two groups of Awami League supporters in Kushtia has been identified as a former police officer and relative of a local ruling party leader.

Anisur Rahman Anis was an assistant sub-inspector (ASI) posted in Dhaka’s Bhashantek Police Station before he was sacked two years ago, police officials said.

He is also a relative of the Awami League’s Kushtia town unit former general secretary Mominur Rahman Momij.

Anis’ cousin is married to Momij’s sister, one of their relatives told bdnews24.com on Sunday.

The clash between the two groups at Kushtia town’s Majampur Gate area broke out around Saturday noon, coinciding with the programmes to mark the National Mourning Day.

Superintendent of Police Pralay Chisim had told reporters that Momij led one of the groups while Awami Swechchhasebak League’s town unit General Secretary Sazzad Hossain led the other.

An Awami Juba League activist named ‘Sabuj’, 25, died from stab injuries sustained during the clash. At least five others were also injured.

Anis, wearing black panjabi and white trousers, was seen firing several rounds from a shotgun at that time.

Photographs of the former ASI brandishing the weapon were published in several newspapers and news portals including bdnews24.com on Saturday and Sunday.

On Sunday, Dhaka Metropolitan Traffic Police’s East Division Deputy Commissioner (DC) Nesarul Arif told bdnews24.com: “I was the Mirpur Division DC two years ago when Anis was sacked for misappropriating seized Phensedyl.”

Anis, son of late Mosharraf Hossain Mandal of Dhaka-Jhaluparha village at Sadar Upazila, had been staying at his village home.

But locals said they did not see him after Saturday’s clash.

Khulna Range’s Additional Deputy Inspector General Ekram Ul Habib visited the scene of the clash on Sunday. “Police have found some clues. We hope to get to the bottom of this as soon as possible,” he told reporters.

Sabuj’s brother ‘Arif’ in the afternoon lodged a murder case at Kushtia Model Police Station naming Sazzad Hossain and 19 others, Assistant Superintendent of Police Labani Khandker told bdnews24.com.

The station’s OC Abdul Khalek was also withdrawn for his alleged negligence in duty, said Kushtia’s Additional Superintendent of Police Sohel Reza.

He added that police seized Sazzad’s licensed shotgun with 56 rounds of bullets Sunday morning.

The law enforcers claimed they had detained three people for questioning for their suspected involvement in the clash, but declined to disclose their identities.

Additional DIG Habib said, “We’ll investigate whether there was negligence from the police’s side. Actions will be taken against anyone found guilty.”