Md Abul Hashem, 75, a valiant freedom fighter who died on the first day of December, the month of victory, was buried without full-fledged state honour allegedly due to negligence of police in Monohardi upazila of Narsingdi.

Following reaction among the locals, also in the social media, the district police administration withdrew two police officials and expressed sorrow to the bereaved family and to the countrymen.

“The withdrawn police officials are Masud Rana, sub-inspector, and Bazlur Rahman, assistant sub-inspector, of Monohardi Police Station. Departmental investigation will be conducted regarding the matter,” said Zakir Hasan, additional superintendent of police in Narsingdi.

Family members and local freedom fighters said Motiur Rahman, former commander of upazila Muktijoddha Sangsad, informed Monohardi Police Station immediately after Abul Hashem’s death at 4:00pm on Sunday at his village home of Char Mandalia.

His janaza was scheduled to be held at 10:00am on Monday but it was shifted to 11:00am following suggestion from the police.

“Thousands of people assembled at the place for the namaz-e-janaza, where two officials on behalf of the UNO were also present. After waiting for police till 11:30am, we arranged the funeral prayer there. But proper state honour could not be given to my freedom fighter father as police did not arrive in time with necessary equipment,” said Babul Mia, son of Abul Hashem.

As the matter went viral, the UNO and the officer-in-charge of Monohardi Police Station reached the late freedom fighter’s house on that noon and expressed their sorrow.

Narsingdi Deputy Commissioner Syeda Farhana Kawnine told The Daily Star, “Our men went there with the national flag and bouquet of flower but police couldn’t reach there timely with bugle and other equipment. And so, full state honour could not be provided to the heroic freedom fighter.”

Md Shahidullah, Char Mandalia union unit commander of Muktijoddha Sangsad, said it is a sorrowful matter that a glorious son of the soil did not get state honour due to negligence of police.