Published : 04 Oct 2026, 02:40 PM
Updated : 04 Oct 2026, 03:06 PM
The Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI) has been ordered to conduct a further probe into the death of a college student after his family challenged the police report.
Anand Roy Basphor, 20, a second-year higher secondary student at Savar's Abdul Mannan Degree College, left home on the night of Jun 8 last year, telling his family he was going out with friends.
He later told them he might not go on the outing and would return home. His phone was switched off soon afterwards.
His body was recovered two days later from a pond at Radio Centre in Dhaka’s Ashulia.
His mother Malti Rani filed a case against unidentified suspects the following day, alleging murder.
Police later arrested two of Anand's neighbours, Humayun Kabir and Hridoy Ahmed.
The police investigation subsequently concluded that Anand had gone with Humayun, Hridoy and others to steal cables.
According to the investigation, they jumped into the water to escape when security guards from the Rural Electrification office and the market began patrolling the area.
Anand, who did not know how to swim, drowned, the probe report said.
Ashulia Police Sub-Inspector Atowar Rahman submitted a final report to the court on Mar 27, recommending that Humayun and Hridoy be released.
Anand's family rejected the finding.
His mother filed an objection against the final report on Aug 19, alleging that the investigating officer had deliberately tried to divert the case and recommended the suspects be released.
Dhaka Senior Judicial Magistrate Tajul Islam Sohag accepted the petition and ordered the PBI to conduct a further investigation.
The PBI was asked to submit its report by Oct 1, but could not do so on that date.
Prosecution Sub-Inspector Biswajit Debnath said Tajul Islam has set Nov 16 as the next date to submit the report.
Atowar, the Ashulia police investigator who submitted the final report, said the incident was a case of attempted theft, not murder.
“It was actually a theft incident. They went to the Radio Colony area to steal cables.
“He drowned later. There was no murder. That is why I submitted a report recommending that the suspects be released,” he said.
What the Police Investigation Found
According to the final report, Humayun, Hridoy, Anand and their associate Farid Ahmed went to Kabirpur Radio Centre on the night of Jun 8 carrying a crowbar and a spade to steal cables.
They left their sandals beside the centre's boundary wall and were preparing to dig up the ground to access the cables when security guards from the Kabirpur Rural Electrification office and the market shone torchlights at them.
The group then dove into the lake and swam towards the boundary wall to escape, the report said. Anand, who did not know how to swim, drowned.
The post-mortem report also concluded that Anand died from drowning.
Family Alleges Murder
Anand's sister Rupali Rani said her brother had told the family the day after Eid-ul-Azha that he was going out.
“He left home around 8pm with his iPhone and Tk 10,000. Later, when we called him, he said he might not go on the picnic. We asked him to return home. He said he would,” she said.
When the family called again after 9pm, his phone was switched off, she said.
Anand did not return that night.
The following afternoon, the family called an individual named Kabir and asked about Anand, but he gave no information, Rupali said.
“I asked him about my brother at least 17 times, but he said nothing. During the questioning, he received a phone call and went outside and spoke in a whisper. We became suspicious after hearing him,” she said.
Rupali said the family planned to file a police complaint two days later when Kabir told them to check the garden at Radio Colony. His mother-in-law allegedly gave them the same suggestion.
“Later, Kabir called my younger brother and took him into the jungle. My brother had been in the water for three days. His body was swollen and his face had turned red, but Kabir recognised him immediately. How did he recognise my brother? These things made us suspicious,” she said.
Rupali alleged that people in the area called Kabir a murderer during arguments and that he had also said in anger that he had killed Anand.
She rejected the allegation that her brother had gone to steal cables.
“They say my brother was electrocuted. Four or five of them went together, but only my brother died? Now they are saying he died while trying to steal cables. This is a rumour to defame him. My brother could never steal,” she said.
“His friends ruined him. They fought there and killed my brother. There are marks of injury on his neck. They murdered my brother. We want a fair trial,” she said.
Rupali also expressed concern over the progress of the investigation.
“It has been one and a half months since the PBI took over the investigation, but no one has contacted us yet. We are worried about what might happen,” she said.
Defence Lawyer's View
Zahirul Islam, the lawyer for suspect Humayun, said the medical report supported the police finding.
“The medical report says the victim died by drowning. There were no signs of injury on his body.
“Even so, the complainant filed an objection petition. The court has ordered the PBI to investigate. Let us see what happens,” he said.
