‘They filed a false inquest report’

A grieving father, who once shook the nation’s conscience by asking a senior police officer, “How many bullets does it take to kill a boy, sir?”, yesterday alleged that police, under pressure from senior officials, filed a false inquest report over his son’s killing during the July 2024 mass uprising.

Standing in the witness box of the International Crimes Tribunal-2, Sub-Inspector Moynal Hossain Bhuiyan broke down in tears as he recounted his son’s killing and the discovery of his body.

Imam Hasan Tayim Bhuiyan was shot near Kajla Bridge in Jatrabari on July 20. Moynal said the body bore multiple bullet wounds on the chest, abdomen, and legs, which he believed reflected extreme brutality.

Testifying as a prosecution witness in a crimes against humanity case over Tayim’s killing, Moynal alleged that Sub-Inspector Shahdat, acting under “orders from higher authorities,” omitted any reference to police firing in the inquest report prepared at Dhaka Medical College Hospital, noting only holes and black marks on the body.

He told the tribunal that Shahadat informed him his son had been killed in an attack and firing by “student-people.”

Moynal said he signed the inquest report under severe distress. He said his job was on the line, and because more than 24 hours had passed, the body of his son was decomposing.

“I was compelled to sign the inquest report,” he told the tribunal.

He said Tayim left home around noon and joined protests in Kajla with his friends. While Moynal was on duty at Rajarbagh Police Lines, he was informed that his son had been shot and his body was left at the Kajla foot overbridge.

He rushed to DMCH but initially could not find him. Later, a journalist showed him photographs of unidentified bodies, through which he identified his son at the morgue, where 20–30 bodies were kept.

He added that formalities at Shahbagh Police Station were completed later, after which he was informed that SI Shahadat would conduct the inquest and post-mortem on July 21. Despite his request, he said Shahadat delayed both procedures, with the inquest conducted around noon and the post-mortem at 4:30pm.

During ritual washing at Rajarbagh, a large wound on Tayim’s left waist was discovered, which was believed to be a pistol bullet injury. Tayim was later buried that night in the family graveyard in Cumilla.

Moynal, citing Tayim’s friends, claimed that protesters, including Tayim, took shelter in a tea stall as around 20–25 police personnel, including Inspectors Zakir Hossain and Mamun and SI Sajjad of Jatrabari Police Station, chased them. Police later forced them out, beat them with batons and rifle butts, and ordered them to run.

As Tayim ran, Mamun and Sajjad opened fire, he added. When he fell, Zakir allegedly shot him repeatedly at close range, Moynal said.

Tayim’s friend Rahat, who tried to rescue him, was also shot in the leg but managed to escape. Tayim was left at the scene for a long time before being taken to DMCH.

Moynal demanded the highest punishment, including the death penalty, for those involved.

Meanwhile, at ICT-1, a grieving mother of a July uprising victim broke down in the witness box, forcing the court to pause proceedings for several minutes.

The incident took place after a graphic video was played in court showing her 23-year-old son, Rakib Hossain, collapsing on a road after being shot, with blood pooling around him.

The footage was shown after the defence counsel for former Border Guard Bangladesh official Lt Col Mohammad Redowanul Islam requested its exhibition during the cross-examination of the victim’s mother, Hashi Akhter.

“I carried my son in a rickshaw to Dhaka Medical College Hospital from Rampura, but he could not speak a word to me. I am bearing such a huge pain,” she said, her voice breaking as she wept in court, forcing a pause in the proceedings

Earlier on April 7, Hashi Akhter testified as the third prosecution witness in a crimes against humanity case over the killing of 28 people in Rampura during the July 18–19, 2024 unrest.

The accused include two former Border Guard Bangladesh officers, Redowanul and Maj Rafat Bin Alam Moon, along with two former police officers, then additional deputy commissioner of Khilgaon Md Rashedul Islam and then officer-in-charge of Rampura Police Station Moshiur Rahman.

While Redowanul and Rafat were present in the dock during her testimony, the two police officials remain fugitives.