Army, police reassure all of mutual trust, call ex-major’s killing ‘isolated incident’

The army and the police have tried to calm frayed nerves when their chiefs appeared together in a rare news conference and described the recent killing of former major Sinha Md Rashed Khan in police fire as “an isolated incident”.

Staff Correspondentand Cox’s Bazar Correspondentbdnews24.com
Published : 5 August 2020, 02:32 PM
Updated : 5 August 2020, 02:42 PM

General Aziz Ahmed and Benazir Ahmed, speaking at an army bungalow in the Cox’s Bazar district on Wednesday, reassured the citizens that the forces have confidence in each other.

Army chief Aziz and Inspector General of Police Benazir warned against the incident being used to incite distrust between the army and the police, and said no cracks have appeared in their relationship.

They said the people responsible for the incident will face punishment but their agency will not be held responsible.

After his death on Jul 31 night at a check-point in Cox’s Bazar, police said they fired in self-defence when Sinha, a former Special Security Force member, brandished a pistol after obstructing a search of his vehicle.

They also said they seized drugs from the vehicle, but many did not believe the police account. There was also doubt over whether Sinha had indeed pointed the gun at the policemen.

Allegations were there that the police wasted time in taking him to hospital. Against these uneasy backdrops, the government formed a joint committee to investigate the incident on orders from Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

The members of the committee from the army, police and administration have got down to work while Sinha’s sister has charged nine policemen with murder.

Amid intense speculations, the army chief and the IGP spoke with the police and army officers in the resort town before holding the news conference.

The incident has “shocked” both the army and the police, Gen Aziz said.

“The message we have here is that we want to see this as an isolated incident. From our positions, we want to ensure all that the people involved in the incident and identified by the joint inquiry will face justice 

“The responsibilities for the incident will not fall on any agency or organisation. No organisation will act against the other,” he added. 

The army chief also said the army and the police have full confidence in the investigation committee.

“We, the army, the police and other agencies have worked shoulder to shoulder to tackle the domestic and foreign threats in the 50 years of development of Bangladesh. The mutual trust, confidence and cooperation that have developed between us shall remain intact.

“Neither the army, nor the police will do anything that can lead our relationship to rupture,” Gen Aziz said.

IGP Benazir also said the two forces have worked together in many crises in the past five decades.

“Our relations are based on mutual respect, trust and confidence. We too see this (killing of Sinha) as an isolated incident,” he said.

“Many are making provocative remarks exploiting the incident. I believe such instigation won’t work in skilled, smart forces like the army and the police,” he added.  

Gen Aziz also asked all to be alert. “Please don’t try to create a misunderstanding between the army and the police,” he said.

The two later visited Shamlapur check-point along Cox’s Bazar-Teknaf Marine Drive at Baharchhara, the site where Sinha was shot dead.