At around 4.30pm on February 15, 2011, Mohammad Rafiqul Islam (41), a salesman of ‘Islam Departmental Store’, located at 620, North Shahjahanpur in Dhaka Metropolitan City, was detained by RAB members. It was alleged by the family members of Rafiqul that after being detained, he was not to be found anywhere.
The family members of Rafiqul stated that on February 15, 2011, RAB members came to the workplace of Rafiqul in 3 pickup vans and took him away in front of local residents.
Odhikar noticed discrepancies in the statements of RAB, police and eye-witnesses during the fact-finding mission. RAB members argued that on 15 February 2011, they had not arrested anybody named Mohammad Rafiqul Islam, a shopkeeper, from 620 North Shahajanpur. But eyewitnesses opined that on 15 February 2011, RAB members had picked up shopkeeper Mohammad Rafiqul Islam from 620, North Shahajanpur, in front of many people and in broad
daylight.
SI Mokaram Hossain stated that he had sent messages to all police stations about the disappearance of Rafiqul after a General Diary being filed in the police station. It is important to note that police earlier refused to accept a GD. They are still unable to locate Rafiqul, at the time of the writing of this report.
Odhikar urges the government to take appropriate steps to find out the whereabouts of Rafiqul and punish the perpetrators through a proper and unbiased investigation.
fact-finding-disappearances-Mohammad Rafiqul Islam-2011-eng (full text in English, PDF)
fact-finding-disappearances-Mohammad Rafiqul Islam-2011-ben (full text in Bangla, PDF)
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