Police recommend rickshaw-puller beaten at Dhanmondi-32 exempt from case

Police have recommended that rickshaw-puller Md Azizur Rahman—who was beaten by a mob while coming to lay flowers at Dhanmondi-32—be exempted from the July Movement attempted murder case.

Recently, the case's investigation officer, Dhanmondi Police Station Sub-Inspector Touhidur Rahman, submitted a progress report to the Dhaka Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Court.

According to the report, after reviewing preliminary information and conducting further investigation, no specific or reliable evidence was found linking Azizur Rahman to the incident cited in the case.

Therefore, it would be reasonable to release him from the case under Section 173(a) of the Code of Criminal Procedure. The report notes that if sufficient evidence emerges later, he may still be included as an accused when the final police report is filed.

The report states that on 15 August, Azizur Rahman came to Dhanmondi-32 to pay tribute and was assaulted by locals, who beat him in a mob attack. Police on duty rescued him from the agitated crowd and took him to the police station.

Information gathered from people at the scene and confidential sources initially led officers to suspect he might be linked to a previous arms case.

After bringing him to the police station, his behaviour "did not seem like that of a typical rickshaw-puller," and officers suspected he might be "a member of a banned organisation or one of their sources."

At the time, the bouquet he carried contained a note that read: "15 August, National Mourning Day. Out of love for Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, I bought these flowers with my honest earnings as a simple rickshaw-puller. I belong to no political party—I only love Bangabandhu."

Because of this, and based on information from locals and intelligence sources, police initially suspected that he might be connected to the attempted murder case.

The report said further verification was required in the interest of a fair investigation. Since there were some pieces of information suggesting possible involvement, he was arrested as a suspect and produced before the court.