Police accept photo-journo Priyo murder case against Hasina, 6 others, after a 12-hour delay

A murder case has been filed against seven, including former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, with the New Market police station over the murder of photojournalist Tahir Zaman Priyo. 

However, initially when Samsi Ara Jaman, mother of the photojournalist, went to the New Market Police Station at 11:15am yesterday (20 August) to file the case for the murder of her son, the police were hesitant to take it.

Other than the former PM, the six named in the case are former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan, former IGP Chowdhury Abdullah-Al-Mamun, former DC of Ramna zone Mohammad Ashraf Imam, former ADC of Ramna zone Hafiz Al-Asad, former officer-in-charge of New Market police station Aminul Islam, and assistant commissioner of New Market zone Refatul Islam.

As the news of police not accepting Priyo's murder case broke out, over 50 students and citizens gathered in front of the station in the evening.

Later, around 10pm, the Deputy Commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Israel Howlader arrived at the station. He spoke with the students and citizens, attempting to calm the situation.

During this time, Amirul Rajib, coordinator of the Tree Conservation Movement on Satmasjid Road, said Refatul Islam, the assistant police commissioner of the DMP New Market zone, was responsible for not accepting the case.

"From the moment he arrived at the station, he [Refatul] used various excuses not to take the case and even threatened different individuals over the phone. He had also strategically moved the duty Inspector [Investigation] to another location to prevent the case from being registered," Rajib said.

Later, Israel Howlader told the students and citizens that the police officer who was needed to register the case was not present at the station.

He also assured the case would be filed and promised action against assistant police commissioner Refatul Islam.

Around 11pm, Samsi Ara told journalists, "I have been sitting here since 11:15am. They have been trying not to take the case from the start.

"We have been harassed since the morning with various excuses. Now they are saying there is no officer in the station to take the case," she added.

At 12:05am, New Market Police Station finally accepted the case. Khandakar Jalal Uddin Mahmud, the station's inspector (Investigation), confirmed the acceptance of the case to TBS.

Young photojournalist Tahir Jaman Priyo was shot dead in the capital's Green Road area on 19 July.

He had previously worked as a video journalist for a news portal called TheReport.Live.