Court orders probe as another case filed against July Foundation officials for beating, attempted murder
The complaint specifically alleges that the accused Saidur Rahman Shahid repeatedly struck the victim's head with a GI pipe, demanding he confess to being a 'fake July Warrior'
A second case alleging torture and attempted murder in the name of "questioning" has been filed against 10 officials and employees of the July Shaheed Smriti Foundation.
The case was lodged today (6 November) by a Md Jahangir, who identifies himself as a participant of the July movement, with the court of Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Md Hasibuzzaman. The court accepted the plaintiff's statement and instructed the officer-in-charge (OC) of the Shahbagh Police Station to investigate the allegations and submit a report.
The accused include Senior Verification Officer Iftekhar Hossain, Executive Member Sabrina Afroz Sabonti, Customer Service Officer Saidur Rahman Shahid, and officers Sagar, Afzalur Rahman Sayem, Sonia Akhter Lubna, Alif, Zahid, Fatema Afrin Payel, and Mehedi Hasan Prince.
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According to the complaint, Md Jahangir, who was shot during the July Uprising near the Kanchpur Bridge on 18 July last year, went to the foundation's office on 27 May to submit documentations and proof for financial assistance as the "July Warriors" are being compensated by the government. The foundation provides aid to families of those injured or killed in the student-led mass uprising.
The plaintiff claims that after submitting his documents, the accused took him to a windowless room and began questioning him about his injuries. When he stated he was shot by "Awami terrorists and police of the fascist Hasina government" during the movement, the accused immediately began a brutal, indiscriminate assault.
The complaint specifically alleges that the accused Saidur Rahman Shahid repeatedly struck the victim's head with a GI pipe, causing him to lose consciousness there. When Jahangir regained consciousness, the accused allegedly resumed beating him, demanding he confess to being a 'fake July Warrior'.
The assailants allegedly snatched his mobile phone, continued the beating, and then forcibly administered an unknown injection into his right hand before abandoning him on the street in an unconscious state.
The plaintiff filed the case after receiving advanced medical treatment.
The pattern
This is the second case filed against the July Shaheed Smriti Foundation. The first case was filed on 14 October against 13 individuals, including ten foundation members, on charges of torturing July activist Bulbul Sikder and his wife Sabina Yasmin.
In that incident, the couple, who were seeking compensation for injuries sustained by the husband and son, were allegedly branded "fake July Warriors" and tortured for hours in a separate room by foundation officials.
The court in that case ordered the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) to investigate the allegations.
