SSF man's family worried over his death rumours after refuted report on PM murder plot

The family of a member of the Special Security Force or SSF, tasked with guarding the prime minister, is concerned over rumours of his death following a report on a foiled plot to assassinate Sheikh Hasina.

Staff Correspondentbdnews24.com
Published : 25 Sept 2017, 07:53 PM
Updated : 26 Sept 2017, 08:04 AM

After the Prime Minister's Office rubbished Subir Bhaumik's report on the foiled bid of some SSF personnel as 'baseless and intentional' on Sunday, the former BBC journalist tried to defend his report in a Facebook post on Monday morning.

He claimed in the post that one 'Captain Russel Azad and some others of the SSF were killed' in a so-called counter action by Hasina loyalists.

bdnews24.com has found in an investigation that one Mohammad Russel Azad Bhuiyan works in the SSF, but he is a major, not captain, and from East Ilisha union of Bhola, not from Dakshin or South Ilisha, as stated by Bhaumik.

His father Abul Kalam Azad moved to Dhaka seven to eight years ago after their home was lost to erosion of the Meghna river. The family live in the capital's Farmgate now.  

"What are these rumours swirling about my son? Please believe me, we are very ordinary people. We are not in any politics," Azad told bdnews24.com on Monday night.

"The news on the prime minister is a huge issue. Our hearts almost stopped beating when we heard the rumour connecting our son with the issue," he added.

He said his son Russel is now in London as 'part of the advance security team' for the prime minister's visit.

After attending the UN General Assembly in New York, Hasina is now spending time with her son Sajeeb Wazed in Virginia.

She is scheduled to fly for London on Sep 29 from Washington DC.

On Oct 1, the prime minister will take a flight for Dhaka from the UK capital and scheduled to arrive the next day.

East Ilisha Union Awami League General Secretary Md Sohrawardy told bdnews24.com Bhola Correspondent Ahad Chowdhury that Russel's father Azad had come to the area four months ago and said his son had been promoted to major from captain in the army.

Azad stays in his in-law's house when he comes to Bhola.

Russel's maternal uncle, the local Juba League leader Mohammad Sabuj told bdnews24.com in the evening that Russel was "abroad on official duty".

He said he felt embarrassed at the 'huge number of phone calls' he received throughout the day from different agencies and journalists.

The report where Bhaumik claims a group of rogue SSF officers planned an attempt on Hasina on Aug 24 was first carried by Myanmar's internet newspaper Mizzima, followed by some Indian news outlets.

Some media outlets in Dhaka, including state-run BSS, also ran the report but later retracted them without offering explanations. Later, the PMO refuted the report.