Police officer testifies he was forced to omit gunshot wounds in report on slain student Abu Sayed

The police officer who prepared the inquest report on the body of Abu Sayed, the first July martyr from Rangpur, told court he was forced to  submit a "faulty" report.

Sub-Inspector Md Tariqul Islam said this while testifying before the International Crimes Tribunal-2 (ICT).

Today, the three-member International Crimes Tribunal-2, led by Justice Nazrul Islam Chowdhury, recorded the testimony of SI Md Tariqul Islam in the crimes against humanity case over Abu Sayed's killing.

At the time of the July 2024 uprising, Tariqul was stationed at Rangpur Kotwali police station. He is currently posted at Dhaka Metropolitan Police's Bhashantek station.

On 16 July 2024, Abu Sayed, a student of the English department at Begum Rokeya University, was killed by police fire in front of the campus during the quota reform movement.

In his deposition, SI Tariqul said that while on duty around 4:30pm near Kotwali police station, he received a radio message that a body had arrived at Rangpur Medical College Hospital and he was to conduct the inquest. There he learned that a student named Abu Sayed had been killed by police near the university.

He said many students had gathered at the hospital and the atmosphere was tense, with police deployed.

Around 7pm, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Md Arifuzzaman of Rangpur Metropolitan Police's Kotwali Zone asked him if he had seen the body. After Tariqul replied he had not, the ACP told him to examine it.

"After examining the body, I reported that it bore numerous pellet wounds and that blood from an injury at the back of the head had soaked the stretcher. At that point, he instructed me not to write that the death was caused by gunfire," Tariqul testified.

"When I disagreed, he verbally abused me, even cursing my parents, and threatened: 'You are a Jamaat agent. I'll get you fired, frame cases against you and have you jailed.' I became frightened," he added.

According to Tariqul, ACP Arifuzzaman admitted he was under pressure from above. Later that night, around 10:30pm, Arifuzzaman returned with Executive Magistrate Ahmed Sadat and again directed him to write the report as instructed.

"Finding no alternative, I prepared the inquest report in the presence of Magistrate Ahmed Sadat, omitting mention of gunshot wounds and instead writing only that there were multiple small injuries," Tariqul said.

Prosecutors MH Tamim, BM Sultan Mahmud and others were present during the testimony. The defence lawyers later cross-examined him.

The tribunal's investigation report implicated 30 individuals in Abu Sayed's killing. On 30 June, the tribunal took cognisance of the charges and issued arrest warrants for the absconding accused.