Social media users shared a video showing APBn members firing and hunting individuals on August 5 in the Chankharpul neighborhood of the city.
Md Sujon Hossain, a member of the Armed Police Battalion (APBn), has been arrested for indiscriminately shooting at people in the capital’s Chankharpul area during the long march programme on 5 August.
“Sujon was arrested last night [12 September] in connection with a murder case filed with the Shahbag police station,” an officer of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) told.
Even after the news of Sheikh Hasina’s resignation spread on 5 August, police fired on the students and the public in the Chankharpul area, resulting in several deaths.
A video that circulated on social media showed, on 5 August morning, a large crowd of students and civilians gathered at the Chankharpul area, aiming to march towards Shahbagh. However, the police set up barricades to block them.
When the crowd attempted to break through, APBn members along with the police were seen indiscriminately firing tear shells, sound grenades, and rubber bullets to disperse the crowd. However, a few were also observed firing live rounds with their Chinese rifles.
During this time, Akhtarul Islam, the then additional deputy police commissioner of DMP’s Ramna zone, was seen standing at the spot and giving orders to shoot.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, a police officer who was on duty that day, told Ctgpost, “Sir Akhtarul himself also fired that day.”
When asked about these events, Akhtarul said, “It wasn’t on my orders, the shooting was done under the orders of higher authorities. I was merely present at the scene.”
