Staff Reporter :
Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Commissioner Md Shafiqul Islam has said police cannot avoid responsibility if a suspect dies in its custody.
He made the statement while talking to reporters after Bangladesh Police Service Association paid tribute to Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in front of his portrait in the city’s Dhanmondi on Monday.
“Initially, police reported to me that the suspect committed suicide. We are investigating the incident; however, police cannot deny their responsibility,” the DMP chief said.
He said a three-member probe committee has been formed over the incident, and assured that punitive action will be taken against any officials who are found responsible or guilty of negligence of duty.
On Sunday, a Floor In-charge–Abu Bakar Siddique Babu, 45 – of Bangladesh Film Development Corporation (BFDC) died in the custody of Tejgaon Industrial Police Station.
According to police, Babu was detained Saturday evening after a case was filed against him under the Digital Security Act. Inspector Iftekhar Islam took Babu to Dhaka Medical College Hospital in an unconscious state after he tried to commit suicide. Later, the duty doctor declared him dead.
Aleya, Babu’s former wife, said, “There are numerous bruises on Babu’s body. He committed suicide as he could not endure the torture of police.”
Another one of his relatives said AC Moinul and Inspector Iftekhar are responsible for this mysterious suicidal death .
Denying these claims, AC Moinul said that Babu threatened to kill a woman on Facebook and he also tried to humiliate her. He was arrested after the woman filed a case against him under the Digital Security Act. Babu’s suicide was even captured on CCTV footage. The claims about police torture are false.
Meanwhile, the fellows of BFDC official Abu Bakr Siddiq, died in police custody hours after arrest, blocked a road in front of the corporation for an hour on Monday.
They staged demonstration from 11:00am to 12noon protesting the death of Abu Bakr.
Vehicular movement from Hatirjheel to Karwan Bazar came to a halt following the demonstration.
