Dhaka court moved against RAB over ‘shootout’ which left Hazaribagh BCL chief Arzu dead

A complaint has been lodged in a Dhaka court against four men including three RAB members over a ‘shootout’ that left President of Hazaribagh Bangladesh Chhatra League unit Md Arzu Mia dead.

Arzu was the prime accused in a case over the beating of 16-year-old Md Raza to death on theft allegations in Hazaribagh.

His elder brother Masud Rana accused the four of abducting and killing Arzu in the case filed with the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate on Sunday.

The accused includes RAB-2 Commander Lt Col Masud Rana, Deputy Assistant Director Sahedur Rahman, Inspector Md Wahid and informant ‘Ratan’.

The plaintiff’s counsel Azim Uddin told bdnews24.com Metropolitan Magistrate Shahriar Mohammad Adnan heard the matter.

Court officials said the judge set Aug 25 for the next hearing.

Arzu’s brother accused the law enforcers of ‘planning the BCL leader’s abduction and then shooting him dead between Aug 17 evening and dawn the next day’.

Rana claimed he found his brother’s body the next day when he went to the morgue.

The same accusations were levelled at the RAB by Hazaribagh Awami League unit in a press conference a day after the shootout.

Local MP Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh also termed the incident a ‘killing’ although the elite police unit said Arzu died in a ‘gunfight’.

Arzu was the key accused of the case filed over Raza’s killing by the boy’s elder sister Reshma Begum on Aug 16. The ‘shootout’ that left Arzu dead took place on the very night.

RAB-2 Commander Lt Col Rana told bdnews24.com at the time they picked up Arzu near Hazaribagh Park’s water pump at around 11:30pm that night and took him on a raid to detain other suspects.

“Around 3:30am, the RAB personnel were ambushed by his associates as they approached Barhuibarhi near Beribandh late at night. RAB also returned fire.”

“Arzu was wounded when he tried to run. His associates fled."

Doctors at the Dhaka Medical College and Hospital (DMCH) declared Arzu dead when he was taken there around 5am on Aug 17, the RAB official had added.

The law enforcers had allegedly recovered two pistols and ammunition from the site of the ‘ambush’.

On Aug 19, Hazaribagh Awami League and Arzu’s family members claimed at a press conference that there was no ‘shootout’ and RAB made up the story.

Its General Secretary Sadeque Hamid Saju said, “Hazaribagh is a BNP stronghold. To hamper the flow of development since last elections, a faction paid large amount of money to have Arzu killed."

He also claimed Md Raza was killed in a mob lynching.

However, the 16-year-old’s sister claimed the leader of the Awami League student wing beat Raza mercilessly and did not let the child go even when she begged for mercy.

In the Aug 19 press briefing, Arzu’s brother Rana had asked everyone not to refer to his brother as a terrorist.

“His crime was that he dreamt of becoming a big leader. He always worked to serve the people.”

Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal reacted to the ruling party leaders’ allegations on the same day.

He told reporters, “Our prime minister was clear with her message before. No matter who the criminals are, they will be brought to justice.

“We will not show leniency... no matter whether he is a Chhatra League, Chhatra Dal or an activist of any other party.”