A murder case has been filed five days after the death of a van driver, Omar Farooq, who died in judicial custody following allegations of brutal torture under the guise of a theft accusation in Bagmara Upazila.
The victim’s father, Moslem Sardar, filed the case at Bagmara Police Station on Thursday night. The case names 12 specific individuals and 10 to 12 unidentified persons as accused.
Among the named accused are Rezaul Karim (47), Abdul Matin (40)—the president and general secretary of the Bhabaniganj CNG Owners Association respectively—along with Biplob alias Bhutto Driver (35), Rohidul Islam (45), Habibur Rahman (55), Mukul Hossain (44), Jewel Rana (35), Rafiqul Islam (40), Asadul Islam (36), Abdus Salam (48), Mozammel Haque (42), and Abdul Hannan (38).
A Tale of Unthinkable Brutality
According to the First Information Report (FIR), the incident began on the evening of December 17 at the Bhabaniganj CNG stand. Omar Farooq (39) had left his auto-van to use the restroom. Upon his return, he was detained by Rezaul Karim and Abdul Matin on allegations of theft.
The FIR details a harrowing account of torture. Under the leaders’ instructions, the mob reportedly beat Omar Farooq with iron rods. When he collapsed, the attackers allegedly stood him against a wall and hammered iron nails into his hands and feet. The brutality escalated further; he was reportedly stripped, dunked repeatedly in a nearby river, and had dry chili powder inserted into his rectum.
The “Ganja” Drama and Mobile Court
The complainant alleged that when Omar Farooq’s condition became critical due to the torture, the accused staged a “drama” by claiming to recover cannabis (ganja) from him. They then summoned the Bagmara Upazila Assistant Commissioner (Land), Saiful Islam Bhuyan.
A mobile court was conducted on the spot, sentencing Omar Farooq to seven days of simple imprisonment and a fine of 100 BDT for possession of drugs.
Following the sentencing, police took Omar Farooq to the Bagmara Upazila Health Complex for “primary treatment” before sending him to Rajshahi Prison. As his condition deteriorated, he was transferred to Rajshahi Medical College Hospital (RMCH) the following day, where he passed away while undergoing treatment on December 20.
Conflicting Statements on Injuries
The medical and administrative accounts of the incident have raised questions. Dr. Saklain Hossain of the Bagmara Health Complex claimed that Omar Farooq’s injuries were “minor” and consisted only of slight swelling.
Similarly, Assistant Commissioner (Land) Saiful Islam Bhuyan stated, “I sentenced him because cannabis was found in his possession. I was unaware if he had been beaten beforehand. He appeared slightly ill during the sentencing, but his body was not bloody.”
Police Action
Bagmara Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Saidul Alam confirmed the filing of the murder case and stated that efforts are underway to arrest the accused.
While police had previously detained three individuals on December 23, one of them, Mukul Hossain, was initially released. However, Sub-Inspector Abu Zahid Sheikh, the investigating officer, clarified that since Mukul Hossain is now a formal accused in the murder case, he will be apprehended again.
