RAB DG apologises for force's crimes, including Narayanganj 7 murders

Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) Director General AKM Shahidur Rahman today (12 December) apologised for incidents of enforced disappearances and killings, including the sensational seven murders in Narayanganj involving members of the elite force.

"I am apologising for incidents like the seven murders," he said during a press briefing at the RAB Media Centre in Karwan Bazar. "There are accusations of enforced disappearances and murder against RAB, and the force can be acquitted of these accusations only through proper investigation and justice."

AKM Shahidur, who holds the rank of additional inspector general of police and took charge of RAB after the 5 August political changeover, also said the force will not engage in any activities such as enforced disappearances or murders as long as he is in command.

The RAB chief also mentioned that the incident of firing at protesters from helicopters during the July-August uprising is currently under investigation.

"RAB never supports such irresponsible behaviour. I urge everyone to provide specific proof. Representatives of the UN Fact-Finding Mission had also asked for information from us, which we have provided. RAB will work diligently to maintain law and order," he added.

During the event, the RAB DG confessed that the force had operated Aynaghar, a secret prison allegedly used by law enforcement agencies, confirming that Aynaghar remains unchanged as per the directives of the Commission of Inquiry on Enforced Disappearances.

"We have kept it in the same condition as it was before. No changes have been made," Shahidur replied in response to a journalist's query.

When asked about BNP's proposal to disband RAB, the DG said he would accept any decision taken by the government.

Mentioning that a total of 16 RAB officials have been detained for involvement in various crimes since the political changeover on 5 August, the DG added, "Evidence of extortion, drugs, and snatching has been found against them, based on which steps are being taken."

The RAB chief also said since the formation of the force, 58 officers and 4,246 members of RAB have been punished for various offences.

Narayanganj seven murders

On 27 April 2014, Narayanganj City Corporation panel mayor Nazrul Islam, his three associates, and his driver were abducted from Fatullah. Senior lawyer at the District Judge's Court, Chandan Kumar Sarkar, and his driver were also abducted on their way to the capital.

Three days after the incident, the bodies of six of them, including Nazrul and Chandan, were recovered from the River Shitalakhya. The following day, the body of Nazrul's driver, Jahangir, was recovered from the river.

The seven were murdered under the Kanchpur bridge in Narayanganj, according to leaked phone conversations between prime suspect Nur Hossain and a former RAB official.

According to a report by The Daily Star, the seven were taken to a sand quarry owned by Hossain, beside the Shitalakhya River, and then murdered, based on the phone conversation reportedly during the abduction and murder of the seven. Law enforcers probing the murders said they had copies of the audiotape.

At one point in the dialogue, an impatient and irate voice, allegedly of Hossain, was heard saying, "What kind of … are you that you need so long to kill?"

According to the contents of the audiotape, Hossain and the ex-RAB official had been in touch over the phone throughout the entire process – from abduction to dumping the bodies into the Shitalakhya.

On 15 May 2014, law enforcers conducted a raid at Nur's house in the Shimrail area of Siddhirganj upazila and seized a foreign revolver, eight rounds of ammunition, and eight shotgun shells. Later, a case was filed at the Siddhirganj police station under the Arms Act in this regard.

The court sentenced Nur Hossain to life imprisonment under two sections of the Arms Act.

On 22 August 2017, the High Court upheld the death sentence of 15 convicts, including Nur and three RAB officials, and commuted the penalty of 11 others to life imprisonment in two cases filed over the seven murders.