Abu Sayed Murder: Cops forced doctor to alter autopsy report five times

Police intimidated the physician who conducted the autopsy on Begum Rokeya University (BRU) student Abu Sayed into changing his post-mortem report five times.

Yesterday, Md Rajibul Islam, head of the forensic medicine department at Rangpur Medical College (RMC), told the International Crimes Tribunal-1 that his original report cited multiple pellet wounds and internal haemorrhage as the cause of death, which was homicidal in nature.

He testified as a prosecution witness in the crimes against humanity case against ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina, former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, and ex-IGP Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun, who is in custody and has turned approver.

The doctor said that after he prepared the report on July 16, 2024, the day Abu Sayed was killed during last year's uprising, the investigation officer of the case filed with Tajhat Police Station over his death refused to accept it. Police then put pressure on him to rewrite it. "I mentioned the original findings in the reports, making some changes in language, but police refused to accept any of them."

Rajibul said that on July 30 last year, he was called to the office of RMC vice-principal Mahfuzur Rahman. There, the vice-principal, city Special Branch superintendent of police Siddiq, Rangpur Metropolitan Police deputy commissioner Maruf, and RMC's Swadhinata Chikitsak Parishad chapter president Sarwar Hossain Chandan pressured him to state that Sayed had died from a "head injury and neurogenic shock".

Officials of the DGFI, NSI, and police were present outside the office, he added.

At one point, Chandan told him, "Netri [leader] is concerned over the issue. Submit the report as the police want it. We will look into your matter," Rajibul said, adding that netri is referred to Hasina.

"They threatened me with criminal cases, warned of dire consequences and even offered foreign trips to Singapore and Thailand. As I said I don't have a passport, they offered me a two-week holiday in Cox's Bazar to convince me," Rajibul told the court.

He stated that he declined to falsify the findings, pointing out that media worldwide had broadcast footage of Sayed being shot dead on July 16. "If I write otherwise, people of the whole world will hate doctors."

Rajibul further said that he eventually prepared and signed a report where he did not mention gunshot injury. He said, "I wrote that the death was due to shock and haemorrhage as a result of the above-mentioned injuries, which were ante-mortem and homicidal in nature. Please consider the circumstantial evidence."

They accepted that report.

"I submitted a true report at the risk of my life, despite repeated threats," he said, his voice trembling with emotion. He added that had the government not changed, he would have faced serious consequences.

Amir Hossain, state-defence counsel for Hasina and Kalam, argued that his opinion should not be recorded as a statement.

However, tribunal Chairman Justice Md Golam Mortuza Mozumder rejected his plea, saying, "Whatever the witness says, without twisting anything, will be taken."

Rajibul also presented an Al Jazeera video featuring his interview and a recorded phone call between Hasina's adviser Salman F Rahman and then IGP Mamun, where Salman enquired why police had not yet collected the autopsy report. It suggests involvement of government high-ups in the matter, he added.

Gias Uddin, an office assistant of RMC's forensic medicine department, and journalist Shariful Islam, who was shot on August 5 last year in Kushtia, also testified yesterday. Shariful said a police sub-inspector and helmeted men fired at him. Over 500 pellets remain in his body.

The ICT-1 yesterday set October 26 for submission of the investigation report against Hasina and others in a case filed over enforced disappearances.

The tribunal also allowed investigators to interrogate four co-accused of Hasina in a case lodged over the May 5, 2013, "mass killings" during a Hefajat-e Islam protest at Motijheel's Shapla Chattar.

Besides, Farhad Hossain, ex-public administration minister, was sent to jail after being shown arrested in a case filed over the killing of Islami Chhatra Shibir leader Tarik Mohammad Saiful Islam in Meherpur.