Boys thrashed and video-filmed in Bangladesh

Two boys, accused of stealing a mobile phone, have been trussed and mercilessly beaten up at Rajshahi’s Paba Upazila.

Rajshahi Correspondentbdnews24.com
Published : 14 Feb 2016, 05:45 AM
Updated : 14 Feb 2016, 09:20 PM

The entire episode that took place on Friday was filmed on video.

The father of one of the boys filed a case of criminal assault against 13 persons, including a soldier and a policeman, on Saturday night.

One Azizur Rahman, 30, was arrested in connection with the case early on Sunday, said Paba police OC Shairful Islam.

This en masse thrashing of two adolescent boys in Rajshahi has triggered a furore, as it comes within three months of courts handing out judgements on the lynching of two teenagers — Samiul Alam Rajan of Sylhet and Rakib Hawlader of Khulna.

Victims Zahid Hasan and 'Emon' are both eighth grade students of Bagsara High School. Zahid was admitted to Paba Upazila Health Complex after the incident.

OC Islam said Emon was missing since Friday, but he went to his grandparents' home at the neighbouring village on Sunday night.

Later, he was also admitted to the Upazila Health Complex.

One of the accused, Nasir Uddin, is a sergeant in the Bangladesh Army and is currently posted in Bogra Cantonment.

Another accused in the case, 'Sagor', is a police constable currently posted at RAB headquarters in Dhaka.

Paba police Sub-Inspector Abu Taher, the investigating officer in the case, said both Nasir and Sagor had been vacationing at their home in the Upazila’s Choubarhia Village.

Zahid’s father Imran Ali of Bagsara told bdnews24.com that their neighbour Rakib’s mobile phone went missing on Friday morning and they held teenager Emon, son of Masud Ali, responsible for it.

“After being tortured by them, Emon said it was Zahid who stole the phone.”

Ali alleged that some men, including 'Nasir' and 'Sagor' whisked away his son from near the airport on Friday noon.

“They tied up my son and beat him up until 10pm. They captured the incident on video and then handed my son over to me,” said the victim’s father.

Ali claimed he was being threatened by the accused since he lodged the case with police.

Paba police OC Shairful Islam told bdnews24.com that Emon arrived at his grandparents' home at around 9:30pm on Sunday.

He said there were bruises in several parts of Emon's body.

The boy was unable to say where he had been for the past two days since Friday's incident, Islam added.