Custodial death of Rayhan: Dismissed SI Akbar freed on bail from Sylhet jail
On 5 May 2021, the Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI), the agency in charge of the probe, submitted the charge sheet to the court, naming Akbar as the prime accused.
Dismissed police sub-inspector (SI) Akbar Hossain Bhuiyan, the prime accused in the case over the 2020 custodial death of Rayhan Uddin at the Bandarbazar Police Outpost in Sylhet, has been released on bail.
Following a bail order from the High Court, Akbar walked out of Sylhet Central Jail-2 yesterday (10 August).
Confirming the matter, the prison's Deputy Jailor Monirul Hasan said, "We received the bail documents from the High Court via the lower court on Sunday. After completing the formalities, we released Akbar in the afternoon same day."
Keep updated, follow The Business Standard's Google news channel
At the time of Rayhan's death, Akbar was in charge of the Bandarbazar outpost. He is accused of detaining and torturing Rayhan.
The deputy jailor also said that Akbar was initially housed at Sylhet Central Jail. When Sylhet Central Jail-2 became operational in February this year, he was transferred on 25 March and remained there until his release.
On 10 October 2020, Rayhan was picked up late at night and tortured at the Bandarbazar police outpost. The following morning, he was taken to Sylhet MAG Osmani Medical College Hospital in critical condition, where he died.
Rayhan's family alleged he died from police torture.
Following a case filed by Rayhan's wife under the Torture and Custodial Death (Prevention) Act, a probe by the Sylhet Metropolitan Police confirmed that Rayhan had been tortured at the outpost.
Akbar and three other policemen were suspended on 12 October 2020, while three others were withdrawn from duty.
Akbar was arrested on 9 November from the Kanaighat border area in Sylhet.
On 5 May 2021, the Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI), the agency in charge of the probe, submitted the charge sheet to the court, naming Akbar as the prime accused.
