Dhaka, Sept 04 (V7N): Between August 13 and August 28, a total of 302 cases have been filed against 94 police officers, accusing them of brutality and misconduct during the July Revolution.

These legal actions were initiated by the families of victims who suffered fatalities or injuries during the protests. The cases have attracted significant attention due to the involvement of senior police officials and political figures.

Allegations Detailed
The complaints come from families claiming their loved ones were either killed or tortured by police during the demonstrations. The serious charges include murder, attempted murder, torture, vandalism, and illegal arms possession, based on several legal statutes such as the Explosive Substances Act of 1908 and multiple sections of the Penal Code of 1860.

Notable Accusations
Several high-ranking members of Bangladesh’s law enforcement are among the accused. DIG Harunor Rashid, former additional commissioner (Crime and Operations) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP), faces the most allegations with 38 separate cases against him. He is accused of either ordering or directly engaging in the shootings that led to numerous fatalities during the protests.

Former Inspector General of Police (IGP) Chowdhury Abdullah Al Mamun is named in 36 cases, with former DMP Commissioner Habibur Rahman facing 33 charges. Biplab Kumar Sarkar, a former joint commissioner of DMP, is implicated in 27 cases. These cases have been filed at various police stations, including Mirpur, Pallabi, Mohammadpur, Adabar, Dhanmondi, Uttara, Jatrabari, Sutrapur, Rampura, Lalbagh, Tejgaon, Shahbagh, and New Market.

Among the 94 accused, 90 are involved in cases 1 to 8. Of these, 68 police officers and personnel of various ranks are implicated in individual cases, while twelve individuals are named in two cases each. Many of these officials are accused of directly participating in the violent crackdown on the anti-discrimination protests.

Additionally, former Special Branch (SB) Chief and additional IGP Md Monirul Islam faces accusations in 11 cases. Former IGP AKM Shahidul Haque, former joint commissioner of police (Traffic South) SM Mehedi Hasan, and former deputy commissioner (Wari Zone) Mohammad Iqbal Hassan are also named in several cases, ranging from seven to eight each.

Filing Difficulties
The process of filing these cases has encountered significant obstacles. Many complainants have reported substantial resistance from police stations when attempting to file their complaints. In some instances, police officers allegedly refused to accept the cases, leading to delays and frustration. However, recent court orders have required that these complaints be accepted and investigated.

On September 2, the Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Court ordered the acceptance of a murder case filed by the family of 15-year-old Chabid Hossain, who was shot by police on August 5 during a protest demanding government resignation. This case names 75 individuals, including former Minister of Road Transport and Bridges Obaidul Quader, senior police officers, and members of the Awami League and its affiliates.

In addition to the recent protests, some cases against police officials are from previous years, reflecting long-standing issues and allegations of police misconduct during earlier political unrest. For example, complaints have been filed against former IGP Abdullah Al Mamun and former DB Chief Harunor Rashid, accusing them of vandalism and looting at BNP’s Nayapaltan central office during a protest in December 2022. The complaints allege that these senior officials ordered police officers to raid the BNP office, resulting in significant damage and theft.

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