The government is actively promoting the message to the international community that justice will be served for the deaths of protesters killed by law enforcement during the anti-discrimination movement.

Despite these diplomatic assurances, recent news reveals a contradictory situation.

In the case of Abu Sayeed, a student activist from northern district of Rangpur who has become the first martyr of the bloody student protest, it is not the police who have been arrested, but rather 24 civilians, including a minor and various students and common people.

This information has been confirmed by a source within the Rangpur Metropolitan Police, raising questions about the government's narrative of ensuring justice.

Abu Sayeed’s death has been a defining moment of student-led uprising which is well going on and turned into a wider movement to make the government accountable for its actions.

Abu Sayeed was standing alone, completely unarmed except for a stick, with his arms extended and not involved in any violent actions.

At the time he was shot, he posed no threat to the police and was standing at what appears to be about 50-60 feet away. Despite this, the police shot him in cold blood.

It happened on July 16, and video footage clearly shows that Abu Sayeed was shot and killed by the police in broad daylight in front of Gate 1 of Begum Rokeya University in Rangpur.

The following day, Bibhutibhushan Roy, the head of the university police camp, lodged a complaint at the Tajhat Police Station against 3,000 individuals, accusing them of murder, vandalism, and various other offenses.

The police report (ejahar) said, "Around 2:15 AM, anti-government protesters began hurling bricks from multiple directions and firing their guns randomly. To control the situation and disperse the crowd, police officer Sohail fired 169 rubber bullets from his government-issued shotgun while stationed in the APC vehicle. The entire university area turned into a battlefield."

Regarding Sayeed's death, the document notes: "At one point, after the protesters had thrown bullets and bricks from various directions, a student was seen lying on the road. His classmates managed to rescue him and transport him to Rangpur Medical College Hospital, where the attending doctor declared him dead,” it said, adding that the incident has led to accusations against 2,000-3,000 unidentified individuals."

‘Clear case of police shooting’

In two video clips verified by Amnesty International, at least two police officers were seen firing 12-gauge shotguns directly at him from across the street.

The video footage shows that Sayeed, with a stick in his right hand, appeared to dodge a projectile before gunshots were heard. He momentarily stretched his arms again, then stumbled backward and sat on the ground.

A man rushed to help him up, revealing blood stains on Sayed's neck, nose, and body. Three more individuals then carried him away.

Amnesty International used satellite imagery to determine the locations of Sayed and the police officers, revealing that they were approximately 15 meters apart during the shooting.

The organization stated on July 18 that Sayed posed no apparent physical threat to the police and described their attack as reckless and unprovoked.

Tuhin Wadud, a university teacher who viewed Sayed's body at the hospital, reported that there were shotgun pellet wounds all over his body.

Razibul Islam, head of the forensic medicine department at Rangpur Medical College Hospital, also confirmed that Sayed died from internal hemorrhage caused by the pellets.

Rights activist Nur Khan Liton told The Daily Star newspaper that the police report is unacceptable as it is pretty clear that it was cold-blooded killing from police in broad daylight by the police.

He emphasized that police should only shoot as a last resort, aiming for the legs, and after giving a warning. He expressed concern that members of the ruling party in the police force disregard the rule of law.

A police source confirmed to The Daily Star that an officer named Yunus Ali discharged his weapon at Sayeed during the July 16 protest without authorization from higher officials. No further details were provided.

Minor being arrested

The news of Abu Sayeed’s death sparked widespread protests across the country. As clashes intensified, reports emerged of another 210 people being killed across the country.

Although the police officer who fired the shots has not been arrested, a source from the Rangpur Metropolitan Police has confirmed that 24 people have been detained so far.

According to police sources, among these 24 detainees are individuals of various ages, including students. One of them is Md. Alfi Shahriar Mahim, who is 16 years and 10 months old and is a student in the 11th grade (HSC 25) at Rangpur Police Lines School and College.

SI Zillur Rahman of Tajhat Police Station told The Business Standard that Alfi was arrested on the spot during the protests on July 16th, when the Tajhat Police Station was set on fire.

Due to the tense and heated atmosphere in Rangpur, the police were unable to verify Alfi's age and, as mandated by law, produced him in court within 24 hours.

Alif's arrest in the murder case of Abu Sayeed gained widespread attention after his sister, Sanjana Akter Sneha, made a Facebook post about it. The post quickly went viral and attracted significant criticism.

In her post, Sneha mentioned that Alif is 16 years old. She also asserted that Alif was not arrested on July 16.

According to Sneha, Alif left home on July 18 to attend an exam but discovered midway that the exam had been postponed. She explained that he then joined a procession with friends but got separated when the police fired tear gas.

Later, on July 18, Sneha said they learned from his friends that Alif had been hit by a rubber bullet in his leg and was admitted to a hospital by locals.

Sneha further explained that despite searching hospitals until 10:00 PM that day, they were unable to locate Alif. Eventually, her father received a phone call. The caller reportedly said, "Your son is in our custody. He will be harmed if you inform anyone about this. He will be released tomorrow, so there is no need to worry."

On July 30, when he was taken to the juvenile court, the court scheduled the hearing for August 4. The case will be heard in the juvenile court.

What does the police say?

Abu Maruf Hossain, Deputy Commissioner (Crime) of Rangpur Metropolitan Police, claimed that 24 people have been arrested in connection with the case filed after Abu Sayeed's death, which includes charges of vandalism. He added that Alfi has not yet been arrested on murder charges.

He also mentioned that an investigation team of four members, led by Additional Police Commissioner Saifuzzaman Faruqi, is currently working to determine the cause of Abu Sayeed’s death.

Maruf Hossain said, "It will be confirmed whether he died from police gunfire or from a head injury based on video footage, photographs, and medical reports."

He added, "The officer accused of firing has already been suspended from duty, and to ensure his and his family's safety, the authorities are refraining from disclosing his name. We repeatedly state that Abu Saeed’s death is deeply tragic, and we are also deeply saddened by this incident."

These arrests however came at a time when the government, under the leadership of a High Court judge, had constituted a judicial inquiry into the six deaths that occurred on July 16.

Meanwhile, on Tuesday, German Ambassador Achim Tröster met with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and demanded a neutral and thorough investigation into all these killings on behalf of his country.

Although the government has announced commitments to ensure justice at various levels both domestically and internationally, no formal information has yet been provided regarding the actions taken against the guilty police officers.

—-