Investigating officer of Rayhan murder case transferred

The investigating officer (IO) of the Rayhan Ahmed murder case has been taken off the case, and Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI) Sylhet Inspector Awlad Hossain has been appointed as the new investigating officer. 

PBI Sylhet Superintendent of Police (SP) Khaled Uz Zaman confirmed the development on Tuesday night.

The SP said the previous investigating officer in the case, PBI Inspector Muhidul Islam, tested Covid-19 positive on Monday. As a result, Inspector Awlad Hossain was given the responsibility of continuing the investigation.

Meanwhile, a case has been filed against Sheikh Saidur Rahman, who accused Rayhan of mugging, said Nirmalendu Chakraborty, assistant commissioner (AC) of SMP's Kotwali police station. 

A man named Afzal Hossain filed the fraud case agains Saidur with Kotwali police station on Tuesday.

Saidur, who worked as a police source, was arrested by the PBI on October 25 under Section 54. 

Based on Saidur’s allegations, Rayhan, 34, was picked up and taken to Sylhet Kotwali police station’s Bandarbazar outpost in the early hours of October 11, where he died in police custody following hours of torture, his family said. 

Rayhan’s wife Tahmina Akter Tanni filed a case over her husband’s death with Kotwali police station the following day, accusing several unidentified people.

Four policemen, including the then in-charge of Bandarbazar Police outpost Sub-Inspector Akbar, were suspended on October 12. Three policemen were also withdrawn the same day.

Subsequently, the case was transferred to the Police Bureau of Investigation.

Sylhet Metropolitan Police (SMP) also formed a committee to look into the death of Rayhan. After a primary investigation, it found some policemen guilty of foul play.

After the autopsy, doctors said there were 111 injury marks on Rayhan’s body and two of his nails had been pulled out.

On October 22, former SMP Commissioner Golam Kibria was transferred due to widespread criticism of the role of police in Rayhan’s death.