2 bodies recovered from Turag as police 'chase' Awami League procession

Police have recovered three bodies from Dhaka's Turag River in two days. Two of them are known to have been involved in Awami League politics.

Family members of the deceased alleged that Awami League’s leaders and activists were trying to take out a procession on the Turag River on June 22 on the occasion of the founding anniversary of the party. At that time, the processionists jumped into the river in panic after being chased by local BNP leaders and activists and the police. Although everyone managed to swim to the shore, two of them drowned. Later, their bodies were found floating in the river in Ashulia and Aminbazar areas last Wednesday and Thursday.

The deceased are-- Md. Shah Alam's son Md. Sumon, 17, Arif Hasan Rakib, 25, of the same area and Roni Molla, 35, son of Kafil Uddin Molla, a resident of Manipur Mollapara in the capital. Among them, Sumon and Rakib were involved in the politics of the banned Chhatra League, according to family members.

Investigation by the Dhaka Metropolitan Detective Branch (DB) has revealed that on June 22, 25-30 leaders and activists of the Awami League led by former Turag Thana Chhatra League president Shafiqul Islam Shafiq set off by boat from Rustampur Ghat in Ashulia towards Ashulia Bazar Ghat. Awami League leader Kafil Uddin Member of Turag's Nolbhog area and Mamun of Ranabhola area provided them with all possible assistance.

Locals said that when the processionists tried to get off the boat after reaching Ashulia Bazar Ghat, sensing their presence, local BNP leaders and activists and police chased them. The marchers failed to raise the boat's anchor while fleeing in a hurry. When the police grabbed the boat's anchor, the leaders and activists jumped into the river in panic. Sumon and Rakib drowned in the strong current. At that time, the Ashulia police nabbed a total of seven people from the scene.

On June 24, the body of Ariful Islam Rakib was found floating in the Lamarghat area of ​​Gabtoli. The Aminbazar Naval Police initially recovered the body as unidentified and sent it to the morgue. Later, the family came and identified it. Rakib's father has filed a case of accidental death in this incident.

Abdul Hai, the father of the deceased, said, "My son went for a walk on June 22. Later, I learned that BNP leaders and police chased him and everyone jumped into the river in panic. Although everyone managed to get up, Rakib could not."

Then, on June 25, Md. Sumon's body was recovered by the Ashulia Police. Sumon's elder brother Salah Uddin said, "That day, Sumon said he was going to the river with his friends. Later, I learned from my friends that he had gone to a procession. When the police chased him, he jumped into the river. Suman, who could not swim, drowned in the water."

In this regard, Ashulia Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Tariqul Islam said, locals called 999 after seeing the body floating. Upon receiving the information, a team went to the spot and recovered the body. At that time, a mobile phone was recovered from his pocket. When the SIM of that phone was used to communicate, the family members identified the body.

Meanwhile Roni Molla drowned while taking a bath in the Diabari Ghat area on June 24. His body was later recovered. An accidental death case has been filed witbh the Savar Model Police Station in this incident.

Roni's father Kafil Uddin Molla said that his son worked at a hotel in the Diabari area of ​​Uttara. Due to mental problems, he would sometimes go to different places without a purpose. He claimed that Roni was not involved in any political party.

Turag Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Mostafizur Rahman said that they are aware of the recovery of a body from the Turag River after June 22. Although there was a procession and arrest in the Ashulia area on that day, he is not aware of any death.

Meanwhile, after the recovery of these bodies, various Awami League pages and personal IDs on social media claimed that seven leaders and activists had gone missing after the attack on the Awami League's founding anniversary procession and the bodies of three of them had been recovered from the Turag River.

However, on Saturday evening, the police headquarters said in a press release that the information being spread on social media titled 'The bodies of seven Awami League-Chhatra League leaders and activists are floating in the Turag River' is completely baseless. In fact, no such incident has been reported. The police have appealed to everyone not to be misled by such propaganda.

The Gazipur Metropolitan Police also issued a similar statement. A release signed by Commissioner Israel Hawlader said that no one should be misled by such false propaganda spread on social media. At the same time, the police are working to identify those involved in spreading rumors and take legal action against them.

The police have urged the countrymen not to be misled by such rumours.