Italla villagers in Cumilla seek answers behind 'murder' of Touhid

Despite there being no charges or cases, why did Jubo Dal leader Touhidul Islam have to die in the custody of the joint forces? This is the question being asked by the family of the deceased and the residents of Italla village in Cumilla Sadar Upazila.

On the night of January 30, after being taken into custody by the joint forces, Touhid's body was found at Cumilla Medical College Hospital on January 31. His family discovered signs of torture on his body, leading them to accuse the joint forces of subjecting him to brutal beatings throughout the night and into the morning. Villagers, who remembered Touhid as a good person, are now demanding answers regarding the cause of his death.

The investigation report from Kotwali police also indicates that marks of injury were found on the body of 42-year-old Touhid. The atmosphere in the village of Italla is now tense, with the entire community enraged and labeling the death as murder. Many believe the killing is linked to a land dispute with their neighbor, Saiful. The family and villagers assert that the rival party used the joint forces to carry out the act.

Abul Kalam Azad Tipu, Touhid's elder brother, said, "On the night of January 30, the joint forces initially claimed that Touhid was carrying weapons. They began attacking anyone they encountered and continued to beat Touhid as they took him away. They transported him to an abandoned structure by the Gomati River, known as 'Gomati Bilas,' and also took seven mobile phones from the house."

Tipu continued, "That night, we contacted several joint forces camps, but they denied having him. In the early morning, I received a call from Touhid, who said, 'Save me, they will kill me.' I offered him money, even as much as 50 lakhs, to release him. He replied, 'No, they want weapons from me. Where would I get weapons?' He added, 'They say I have weapons.'"

Tipu further explained, "During the call, one of the joint forces members grabbed the phone and said, 'Touhid has weapons. If he doesn't give them, the consequences will be severe.'"

He went on, "The next morning, the joint forces brought Touhid back home, and his body was covered in severe injuries. He looked drained. In front of everyone, they began beating him again. They created fear in the village, assaulting anyone in sight. Many people fled in panic."

He added, "Our neighbor, Saiful, was with the joint forces. Though his face was covered, we could clearly recognize him. We have a land dispute with him. He was accompanied by four other men, also wearing plain clothes and with their faces covered. The villagers asked the joint forces about their identities, but they remained silent. They then took Touhid away again."

Tipu concluded, "About two hours after they left with Touhid, I received another call from a different number, claiming that a mistake had been made due to misinformation and apologizing for the incident."

Touhid’s other brother, Sadequr Rahman, shared, "Around 11:45 AM, Sub-Inspector (SI) Morshed Alam from Kotwali Model Police Station called us through another person and informed us that Touhid's condition was very critical. He urged us to quickly come to Cumilla Medical College Hospital. When we arrived, we found that Touhid had passed away. He had been brutally tortured and killed. His body showed signs of severe beating from his waist to his feet, with black and swollen marks. His abdomen, chest, back, legs, and other parts of his body were covered in clear marks of torture."

With tears in their eyes, the brothers of the deceased questioned, "Why did they inform us with incorrect information after he was killed? Why didn’t they inform us earlier? This was clearly a planned murder."

Tipu and Sadeq added, "Our question is, why was he taken to Gomati Bilas instead of the joint forces camp? Why are we unaware of the charges against him? Who is responsible for his death?"

Lutfur Rahman Lutu, who was taken along with Touhid, recalled, "The joint forces kept beating Touhid. They also took me to Gomati Bilas by the Gomati River, where they severely tortured both of us and asked me about weapons. I told them, 'I’m a farmer, how could I have weapons? I make my living by farming and raising cattle.' They then asked if Touhid had weapons. I explained that he was a good man who led a normal life, but they didn’t listen and continued to torture us, using electric shocks to force us to reveal the location of any weapons."

Lutfur continued, "In the midst of the pain from the beatings and torture, Touhid told me, 'Brother, I won’t survive. Please bury me next to our parents' graves.' My eyes filled with tears, but there was nothing I could do."

"Later that morning, they let me go, but they kept Touhid in captivity," Lutfur added.

The villagers are all asking the same question: "What 'crime' did Touhid commit that led to his brutal beating and murder? This needs to be clarified."

Local residents and teachers, Md. Shahjahan and Md. Monir Hossain, said, the people of this area want to know what charges or crimes Touhid was accused of. On that day, the joint forces caused chaos throughout the village. Such an event should not happen in a civilized country, yet it happened here.

We demand that the truth behind this incident be revealed, and we seek justice for this murder, they added.

Touhidul Islam was the convener of the Jubo Dal, the youth wing of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) in Panchtubi Union. He worked for a shipping agency at the Chattogram Port. He was the third of four brothers and three sisters, and their mother passed away nearly 20 years ago. He leaves behind his wife and four daughters, with the eldest, Tasfiya Akter, being 14 years old, and the others are younger.

The wife of Touhidul Islam, Yasmin Nahar, spoke to Views Bangladesh, deeply distressed after her husband's death. She said, "Three of my four daughters are Hafiz of the Quran. My husband always lived a righteous life and never did anything wrong. Why was he killed? What were the charges against him? We want to know the truth. I demand justice for my husband's murder."

She also accused her neighbors, Saiful and Jahangir, of being involved in the 'murder.'

Yasmin Nahar said, "I am certain that Saiful and his associates used the joint forces to carry this out. After the murder, they expressed regret. But does saying sorry make everything okay?"

No comments could be obtained from Saiful and Jahangir. When their homes were visited, the doors were locked, and their phones were turned off.

On the night of Saturday, February 1, officials from the joint forces held a meeting with Touhid’s family.

On Sunday (February 2), Brigadier General Enam, on behalf of the joint forces, told reporters, "Five decisions were made in the meeting. A court of inquiry has been formed regarding the matter. As soon as the investigation is completed, the judicial process will begin, and those responsible will be punished. The joint forces will remain vigilant to maintain law and order in the area. They will ensure the security and dignity of the family and provide full cooperation in fulfilling their moral responsibility."

Just four days before the murder, on January 26, Touhid's father, Mokhlesur Rahman, passed away at the age of 85. His Kulkhani was scheduled for January 31, but after Touhid was taken the night before and his body was found the following day, the funeral couldn't take place.

Touhid's older brother, Abul Kalam Azad Tipu, said that everything has been turned upside down because of the loss. He added, "We just want to know the reason and seek justice for Touhid's murder."