Good to All, Bad to Cops
Police out to ‘frame’ youth
File third case against DU student
Instead of withdrawing two “false” cases against him, police have now implicated Abdul Quader, a biochemistry master’s student of Dhaka University, in a carjacking.
Known as a gentle, caring person to his classmates and teachers, Quader has been locked up for the last 11 days in two cases for robbery and possessing sharp weapons.
The carjacking case was filed by Mohammadpur police on July 15 accusing five to six unnamed people. Quader, who was arrested by Khilgaon police in the city’s Segunbagicha area in the early hours of July 16, was made an accused in it yesterday.
On Tuesday, family members, classmates and teachers formed a human chain demanding his release. They also alleged police beat him up so severely that he could not walk.
Prof Mamun Rashid Chowdhury, chairman of biochemistry and molecular biology department, yesterday said Quader is out-and-out innocent. He has not been involved in any unlawful activities in his university life.
“He meets his personal expenses working as a tutor. You will be amazed to know a guardian of his student was so worried that she came to my room to enquire about his condition,” continued Mamun, talking to The Daily Star.
“I have no doubt that he is a victim of police mess-up. Instead of admitting their mistakes, police are now trying to cover them up like they did in the case of Limon.”
Talking to classmates and teachers visiting him at Dhaka Medical College Hospital on July 16, Quader said he was picked up from Segunbagicha around 1:00pm while returning to his dormitory, Fazlul Haq Muslim Hall.
Khilgaon police, on the other hand, claimed they arrested him between 3:00 and 3:30am on July 16.
At the gate of Dhaka Central Jail on July 17, Quader said police had hacked him in the leg with a machete to show that he had been beaten by a mob after being caught in the act of robbing.
The university authorities yesterday phoned the inspector general of police, requesting their student’s immediate release.
The biochemistry department’s chairman said they will do everything necessary so that Quader gets bail as soon as possible.
Meanwhile, Human Rights Commission Chairman Mizanur Rahman yesterday condemned police torture on Quader.
Meeting the victim’s family and classmates at his office, he said he will write to the police chief and seek explanation why the cops had tortured Quader.
The teachers and students of biochemistry yesterday submitted a memorandum to the DU vice-chancellor, demanding steps to have the cases against Quader withdrawn and punishment to the officer-in-charge of Khilgaon Police Station.
IGP Hassan Mahmood Khandker last night told The Daily Star that as police claim they have caught Quader red-handed trying to rob, the onus is on them to reply to all questions over the incident.
“We are investigating the role of police in the matter,” he added.
Helal Uddin, officer-in-charge of Khilgaon Police Station, said they made the arrest on the basis of information obtained from another detainee who named Quader as one of their associates.
Quader, however, told his teachers and classmates that when police detained him, he gave his identity and kept protesting his innocence, but to no avail.
-With The Daily Star input
