Raihan killing: Court accepts chargesheet against SI Akbar, 7 others

A Sylhet court today accepted the chargesheet against former Sub-Inspector (SI) Akbar Hossain Bhuiyan and seven others in a case filed over the death of Raihan Ahmed at Bandarbazar police outpost in Sylhet.

The court also issued an arrest warrant against the fugitive accused in the case, Sylhet Metropolitan Police Court Inspector Pradeep Chandra Das confirmed.

Journalist Abdullah Al Noman, who is also a relative of SI Akbar, is currently at large.

The other accused are - Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) Ashek Elahi (43), Constable Md Haroon-ur-Rashid (32), Titu Chandra Das (38), SI (second-in-command) Md Hasan Uddin (32) and Journalist  Abdullah Al Noman (32) from Kompaniganj upazila.

Sylhet Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate's Court Judge Abul Momen passed the order on Thursday (30 September) at 11am after accepting the chargesheet.

Earlier on 5 May, the Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI) filed the chargesheet accusing suspended sub-inspector Akbar Hossain, five policemen and a journalist.

On 11 October last year, Raihan Ahmed, 34, a resident of Akharia in Sylhet city, was 'beaten to death in police custody' at the police outpost, alleged the victim's family.

His wife, TahminaAkterTanni, filed a case with Kotwali Police Station the following day accusing a number of unidentified people.

Later, on 12 October, the authorities suspended four policemen, including the then in-charge of Bandarbazar Police outpost Akbar, in connection with the death.

Three policemen, including Akbar, were withdrawn the same day.

The case was later transferred to the PBI.

Besides, the SMP formed an investigation committee, headed by its Additional Deputy Commissioner Shahrier Al Mamun, to look into the death of Raihan.

After a primary investigation, they found some policemen guilty of foul play.

After the autopsy, doctors said they found 111 injury marks on Raihan's body and two of his nails were pulled out.

On 22 October of the same year, former SMP Commissioner Golam Kibria was transferred over widespread criticisms of the role of police after the death of Raihan.

Later in November 2020, the prime suspect expelled sub-inspector (SI) of police Akbar Hossain Bhuiyan was arrested from the Dora border of Laxmiprasad union in Kanaighatupazila of Sylhet.