In the wake of the July-August political unrest, opportunists have attempted to exploit the legal system. Two individuals were recently caught in Dhaka for trying to file fraudulent cases over the death of a young activist named Hasan, who was killed during an anti-discrimination student protest.
One man, Imran, posed as Hasan’s uncle and filed a case in the Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate’s Court on March 23, accusing 180 people, including several high-ranking former officials such as ex-DMP Commissioner Habibur Rahman, former intelligence chief Harun-ur-Rashid, and Jatrabari Thana Awami League leader Harun-ur-Rashid Munna.
When questioned by Magistrate Mizbah Uddin Rahman about his relationship to the deceased, Imran vaguely claimed to be a “distant relative.” Suspicious, the court asked him to produce the victim’s father’s national ID card by the next hearing. Imran failed to appear on two consecutive dates, leading the court to dismiss the case and file a “miscellaneous case” against him. Attempts to contact Imran have been unsuccessful, and his phone remains switched off.
His lawyer, Advocate Kamrul Ahsan, said he acted on the client’s claims and later advised Imran to withdraw the case when doubts emerged. He suspects influential figures in Jatrabari may have influenced Imran.
On April 29, another individual, Faizul Islam Shaon, a ride-share driver, also tried to file a murder case over Hasan’s death, claiming to be his uncle. He accused 231 individuals, including former MPs and police officials. The court quickly became suspicious and detained Shaon for questioning.
Shaon claimed he was misled by a man named Sunny, who convinced him to file a complaint for an old injury sustained during the protests. Instead, he found himself involved in a fabricated murder case. Court inquiries revealed discrepancies in his medical reports, exposing the fraud. The court dismissed the case, released Shaon into family custody, and opened a separate case against him, now under investigation by the Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI).
Hasan, 19, hailed from Bepari Bari village in Bhola’s Kachia Union. He had moved to Dhaka seeking work and was employed at an electronics shop in Gulistan. On August 5, 2023, he was killed during the student movement in Jatrabari. His body remained unclaimed at Dhaka Medical College Hospital for six months before his family identified and buried him.
His father, Monir Hossain, a day laborer, confirmed that the family was preparing to file a case themselves but were shocked to learn others had done so fraudulently using their identity. “Those who filed the cases are not our relatives,” he said.
The family is now considering their legal options. “We’ll decide after Eid when Hasan’s uncles return,” Monir said. “But we will never file a case against anyone who is innocent.”
