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Retired army major shot dead at Cox’s Bazar check-post

Latest report by Bangladesh army on Sinha's murder

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07 Oct, 2020

The widely discussed Major (Retd.) Sinha. The Bangladesh Army has presented the 'latest' investigation report into Rashed Khan's murder. It said he survived the shooting. Teknaf Police Station OC Pradeep Kumar Das arrived at the spot, pressed Major Sinha's neck with his boot and confirmed the death of Major (Retd.) Sinha, who fell to the ground in a very cruel and inhumane manner. The report also said that the pick-up truck carrying Sinha arrived late and that those responsible were behind the mischievous attempt.

The report was presented at a meeting of the Standing Committee on the Ministry of Defense held at the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban on Wednesday. Committee Chairman Major General (retd) Mohammad Subid Ali Bhuiyan confirmed the information and said, "The army has given a report on the killing of Major (retd) Sinha. The committee called for an immediate end to the killings.

Defense Ministry committee member Muhammad Farooq Khan at the meeting, said. Elias Uddin Mollah, Md. Motahar Hossain, Md. Nasir Uddin, Md. Mahibbur Rahman and Begum Nahid Izahar Khan took part.
Also present on the occasion were senior officials including the Secretary of Defense, Army, Air Force and Navy, Meteorological Department and Survey Department and concerned officials of the Parliament Secretariat.
The parliamentary committee also said that it would monitor the trial of Major (retd) Sinha Mohammad Rashed Khan murder and keep an eye on the matter so that no one could take advantage of it.
It is learned that the issue was not on the agenda of the committee meeting in August, but committee member Muhammad Farooq Khan spoke about it. The next meeting of the committee was recommended to give a report on Sinha's assassination. The defense ministry reported the incident at a meeting on Wednesday.
According to the working paper of the committee, the report of the Ministry of Defense said that SP Masud Sinha was involved in the murder. He has been cooperating and obstructing the investigation since the beginning of the incident.
According to the report, Sinha's family demanded the transfer of SP Masood immediately after the incident. The army chief also said that he needed to be transferred in the interest of proper investigation and justice.
After the meeting, committee member Farooq Khan said, "When the committee discussed this, I said today: this judicial work should be monitored all the time." So that no one can take advantage of this. The ministry has informed us that all necessary steps have been taken to investigate the incident. The ministry is keeping an eye on everything.
Major (retd) Sinha Rashed Khan was shot dead by police at Shamlapur check post in Baharchhara union of Teknaf on July 31. On July 5, his sister Sharmin Shahriar Ferdous filed a murder case against nine people, including former Teknaf Police Station OC Pradeep Kumar Das. Former inspector of Baharchhara police investigation center Liaquat Ali was made the main accused in the case.
After Sinha's death, the police wanted to continue the incident as a gunfight. Nandalal Rakshita's case was also filed on behalf of the police.
Sinha's sister Sharmin, on the other hand, filed a case against the police officers alleging direct murder. Cox's Bazar Superintendent of Police ABM Masud Hossain was also accused in the Sinha murder case by Sinha's sister. However, the judge dismissed it. SP Masud Hossain, who was transferred from Cox's Bazar to Rajshahi last September due to the incident.
The report of the ministry also details the incident of that day. It said, 'On July 31, 2020, at approximately 9:25 am, BA-6931 Major (retd) Sinha Md. Rashed Khan was killed.
According to preliminary information, 'Major (Retd.) Sinha arrived in Cox's Bazar on July 3, 2020 from Dhaka with three students from the Film and Media Department of Stamford University to make a travel video for the YouTube channel' Just Go 'and a resort called Nilima Cottage. He stayed there and shot at different places in Cox's Bazar for a month.
"After the night shooting on July 31, 2020, Major (Retd.) Sahejul Islam Sifat and his accomplice got down from the Marishbunia hills and drove to Cox's Bazar in their own private car, Marine Drive." On the way, they were stopped for search at the BGB check post east of Shamlapur and released after receiving their identities. At around 9.25 am, while crossing the Shamlapur police check post, Inspector Liaquat stopped Major (Retd.) Sinha's vehicle along with the APBN force. When Major (Retd.) Sinha stopped the car and introduced them, the APBN members first signaled them to leave, but Inspector Liaquat stopped them again and pointed a pistol at them and told them to get out of the car. Sifat got out of the car with his hands raised and walked backwards.
As soon as Major (Retd.) Sinha got out of the car with his hands up, Inspector Liaquat shot at Major (Retd.) Sinha from very close range. Approximately 20-25 minutes after the incident, Teknaf Police Station OC Pradeep Kumar Das arrived at the spot and confirmed the death of Major (Retd.) Sinha, who was crushed to death.
The report claimed that the injured body of Major (retd) Sinha was lying on the spot for about 20-25 minutes before OC Pradeep Kumar Das reached the spot and he was still alive. It may be mentioned here that the said police check post was operated by APBN and the presence of Inspector Liakat Ali of Baharchhara Investigation Center and Teknaf Police Station OC Pradeep Kumar Das at the spot at the time of the incident seems to indicate their involvement and pre-planning.
The next time Major (Retd.) Sinha was sent to Cox's Bazar Sadar Hospital with a pickup at 10 pm. Approximately one hour and 45 minutes later, the pickup reached Cox's Bazar Sadar Hospital and the on-duty doctor declared him dead.
It is to be noted that even though it took 1 hour to cross the distance in normal time, it seems that the responsible persons were behind the extra time to reach the pickup hospital carrying Major (Retd.) Sinha.
It said, "Immediately after the incident, on the instructions of the Hon'ble Prime Minister, a letter was written on behalf of the Army members through the Armed Forces Department to form a Joint Investigation Court." As a result, a four-member joint investigation committee was formed by the Home Ministry convened by Additional Divisional Commissioner of Chittagong Division Mr. Mohammad Mizanur Rahman (Joint Secretary) to ascertain the exact cause of Major (Retd.) Sinha's murder.
On September 8, 2020, the Joint Investigation Committee submitted the investigation report on the murder of Major (Retd.) Sinha to the Ministry of Home Affairs. At the same time, an inquiry court was set up by the army to find out the cause of Major (retd) Sinha's murder. Whose activities are ongoing.
The report said, "It is worth mentioning here that there is significant information from local sources and various media outlets about the involvement of SP ABM Masud Hossain of Cox's Bazar in the assassination of Major (retd) Sinha. It is learned that he has been providing non-cooperation and obstruction since the beginning of the investigation.
In addition, in connection with the above incident, a murder case was filed by the sister of Major (Retd.) Sinha, who was killed on August 5, 2020, accusing Teknaf Police Station OC Pradeep Kumar Das, Liaqat in-charge of Baharchhara Investigation Center and 9 others. Whose investigation is entrusted to the RAB. In the context of the case, 9 accused (3 civilians and 6 policemen) were remanded and interrogated by RAB. At the end of the remand, three members of APBN and Inspector Liaquat and SI Nandadulal gave a confessional statement under Section 164. At the same time, it is learned that three civilians also gave statements under section 164.
It may be mentioned here that Teknaf Police Station OC Pradeep Kumar Das did not give any statement. All the accused are currently lodged in Cox's Bazar District Jail. The case is currently under investigation under RAB. Three cases were filed against Major (retd) Sinha's accomplices Shipra Debnath and Shahedul Islam Sifat. Sifat and Shipra are currently out on bail in the cases.

 
RAB yet to finish Sinha killing probe
Muktadir Rashid |Published: 00:29, Oct 27,2020
The Rapid Action Battalion investigators are yet to complete the investigation into the killing of retired army major Sinha Md Rashed Khan. But they hoped that they could be able to submit the charge sheet by November. Sinha, 36, who took early retirement from the Bangladesh Army in November 2018, was shot dead at a police checkpoint on Cox’s Bazar–Teknaf Marine Drive at Shamlapur under Teknaf upazila in Cox’s Bazar on July 31.
According to the investigators, they are now, in the final stage as they said, scrutinising the evidence collected and are also trying to ascertain whether any suspect was left out of their investigation.
Senior assistant superintendent Khairul Islam, of RAB-15, who was conducting the investigation, on Monday said that they could not complete their work yet but hoped that it would be completed by November. In September, several RAB officials told New Age that they were ready to submit the charge sheet by October.Khairul said that they were still looking for a police constable named Sagar Dev , who was posted at the Teknaf police station.

Sagar remains untraceable after he was transferred to Bagerhat. The RAB investigators have so far arrested 14, including 11 policemen and three civilians.Of them, nine policemen, including prime accused Liyakat, and three civilians have made statements under Section 164 before the court. Pradeep did not make Section 164 statement. He was transferred to Chattogram on September 12. The Sinha murder case was filed by his sister Sharmin Sahariar Ferdous on August 5 with the judicial magistrate court in Cox’s Bazar accusing nine policemen.

 

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