Police constable recounts burning of six bodies in Ashulia

Police constable Rashedul Islam, accused in a case filed over the killing of seven people – including the burning of six bodies – in Ashulia during the mass uprising last year, has described the incident during this testimony in the court.

The constable, who was stationed at Ashulia Police Station at the time, testified as the 12th witness before the International Crimes Tribunal-2 today (7 October). Former local MP Saiful Islam and 15 others have been accused in the case, eight of whom remain absconding. Justice Nazrul Islam Chowdhury recorded Rashedul's deposition.

Rashedul said, "On August 5 last year, I was serving as a driver (constable) at Ashulia Police Station. I was off duty that day and staying on the fourth floor of the station building. Around 4:00 or 4:30 in the afternoon, I suddenly heard gunshots. Looking out of the window, I saw chaos below and went downstairs, thinking it was not safe to stay there."

"After coming down, I saw a heap of bodies on a van near the main gate of the police station. Former OC Sayed Sir told me—'Rashed, your hands are empty, cover the bodies.' I covered them with a blue banner lying nearby. At that time, OC (Investigation) Masudur Rahman, OC (Operations) Nirmal Kumar Das, ASI Biswajit, Constable Mukul Chokdar, and DB Inspector Arafat were also present," he said.

The witness added, "After covering the bodies, I hid for about an hour in a nearby eight-storey building. I asked a boy from Jamalpur on the ground floor for a panjabi and a tupi, put them on, and went to a friend's house in Jamgara Rupayan. Later I heard that the bodies loaded onto the police van had been burned. Those who did this committed an inhuman act."

After his deposition, state-appointed lawyers for the eight absconding accused and defence counsels for those arrested cross-examined him. Prosecutors Faruk Ahmad and Saimum Reza Talukder represented the prosecution.

So far, 12 witnesses have testified in the case. The tribunal has fixed tomorrow (8 October) for the next hearing.

Police produced the eight accused before the tribunal today. They are former additional superintendent of police (Crime and Operations) of Dhaka district, Md Abdullahil Kafi; former additional superintendent of police (Savar Circle), Md Shahidul Islam, inspector Arafat Hossain; sub-inspectors Malek and Arafat Uddin; ASI Kamrul Hasan, Abjal, and constable Mukul. Former MP Saiful and eight others remain absconding.