‘Driver’ Hanif not city corporation staff: RAB

Driver Md Hanif alias Fatik, who was arrested over the death of media worker Ahsan Kabir Khan in Dhaka's Panthapath on Thursday, is not a staff of Dhaka North City Corporation, said Rapid Action Battalion (RAB).

At a press briefing Saturday, RAB said Hanif had a liaison with some city corporation officials who tasked him with the city corporation dustcart. He used to sell fuel oil allocated for the vehicle since there had been no fixed wage for him.         

RAB, however, noted that they were yet to get any information on whether Hanif used to give a share of the money to the officials.    

"Hanif was driving the dustcart while it ran over Ahsan Kabir Khan on Thursday. There had been a 10-year-old kid as the assistant of the driver. The duo was supposed to dump the waste in Gabtoli after collecting from Panthapath," Khandaker Al Moin, RAB'S legal and media wing director, told the press briefing.  

"The garbage truck was supposed to make three to four trips on that day. During the third trip, the accident occurred and they fled the scene. Hanif first went to Gabtoli, then he went into hiding at one of his relative's residences in Chandpur."

RAB said Hanif has a certificate for driving light vehicles. He had worked for seven to eight years as an assistant at the city corporation's motor workshop. He developed good relations with the city corporation officials while working there.

"In 2019, he got the certificate for driving light vehicles. First, he used to drive a small truck, then he got the garbage truck," noted Khandaker Al Moin.

Referring to information gleaned during the preliminary interrogation, RAB said Hanif used to sell fuel oil allocated for the garbage truck as this was his "unofficial wage".

On liaison with city corporation officials, RAB said Hanif had mentioned some names. But those need to be verified and scrutinised.

Media worker Ahsan Kabir Khan died after being hit by a garbage truck on Panthapath in the capital on Thursday. He was travelling as a pillion on a motorcycle. He was hit by the dustcart from behind and fell on the road.

Then the vehicle ran over his head. Subsequently, Ahsan Kabir Khan's wife Nadira Parveen filed a case with Kalabagan police station against the unidentified driver.