Officer recommends discharge as two cases filed over same death in July Uprising

Following the death of garment worker Nazmul Mia, who was fatally shot in Ashulia during Bangladesh’s July Uprising, his family lodged a murder case at Ashulia Police Station.

Nearly a year later, an individual named Gazi Selim filed a separate complaint at Dhaka’s Mohammadpur Police Station over the same death, accusing 393 individuals, including ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina.

A subsequent inquiry by Mohammadpur police established that Nazmul died in Ashulia, and that the case initiated by his family is already being investigated by Ashulia police.

Investigating officers found no substantive evidence supporting Selim’s allegations and have been unable to trace him.

Under these circumstances, Mohammadpur police Sub-Inspector Aktaruzzaman Elias submitted a final report to the court on Sept 30, recommending that Hasina, all 393 named suspects, and 11 individuals arrested in connection with the case be discharged.

"We found no factual basis for the complainant's allegations, which is why we submitted a report to the court recommending the discharge of the suspects," Aktaruzzaman told bdnews24.com. "The victim’s family has already filed a case at Ashulia Police Station, and that investigation is under way.

"Since taking charge of the investigation, I have been searching for the complainant and even served formal notices, but [Selim] could not be traced," he added.

"We have submitted our findings to the court. The magistrate will determine the next steps."

The officer noted that similar procedural complications are surfacing across numerous cases filed in the wake of the uprising.

Among the prominent figures recommended for discharge are Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader, former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal and party presidium member Jahangir Kabir Nanak.

SI Mizanur Rahman of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police prosecution division said a hearing on the final report is scheduled for Nov 17 before Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Ashraful Haque.

In his investigative report, Aktaruzzaman noted that Nazmul is an officially gazetted slain “July activist” whose mother, Golebhan Begum, filed the primary case at Ashulia Police Station.

Selim’s petition had alleged that on Aug 4, 2024, the suspects fatally shot Nazmul during a demonstration near Salimullah Road in Mohammadpur.

Police, however, uncovered no evidence or witness testimony to support the claim.

Instead, the inquiry established that Nazmul was fatally shot around 6pm on Aug 4 near the Bogabari Baipail intersection in Ashulia.

The report concluded that Selim -- having no connection to Nazmul's family and acting without their knowledge -- used the victim's name to file the court petition based on deliberately fabricated information.

Nazmul's mother and relatives confirmed to investigators that they do not know Selim and share no relation with him.

Cross-referencing Nazmul’s official gazette record, birth certificate, and medical case ID with Ashulia police verified that the dead named in both police complaints was the exact same person.

Formal notices requiring Selim and his purported witnesses to report for questioning were ignored.