Testimony of ASI (armed) Abdullah Al Nasir

Age: 38: Father: XXX Mother: XXX: Address: XXX

My name is Md Abdullah Al Nasir.  Currently, I am working in the SF branch of Rangpur Metropolitan Police. At the time of the incident, I was working in Rangpur Metropolitan Police lines. That day at 8 o’clock in the morning, I joined duty with the duty in-charge SI armed Abdul Mannan sir at Eastern-1. We, through Maruf sir’s office, went to the medical mor around 9:30 in the morning.

While we were stationed there, at around 1:30 or 1:40 PM, we received instructions from the wireless control room and reached gate number one of Begum Rokeya University at approximately 2:00 PM. Arriving there, I saw students fleeing from a police chase. Then I saw AC Kotwali Arifuzzaman sir and a few others firing gas guns. Near gate number one, I saw AC Arifuzzaman and a few other police members beating a student. When the students dispersed, all the police members came inside gate number one and closed the gate. Later, ADC DB Shah Alam Patwari sir, along with his force, entered through gate number one. At that time, the university’s Assistant Professor Mashiur Rahman, Associate Professor Asaduzzaman, Assistant Registrar Rafiul Hasan, university employee Hafizur Rahman Nur Nabi, along with many others, took a position beside the police. I saw them throwing stones at the student crowd standing on the other side of the gate.

At one point, the students pushed and shoved the closed university gate open. At this time, I and a few other police officers took a precautionary position a little further back. From there, I could see the police advancing, firing shotguns. During this, under the supervision and orders of AC Arifuzzaman Sir and OC of Tajhat Thana, Rabiul Islam Sir, ASI Amir Hossain and Constable Sujon shot at a student who was standing with his arms spread open in front of gate number one. The standing student was hit by the bullet and fell on the road. As a few of the present students were rescuing him and taking him away, AC Arifuzzaman Sir fired several rounds of tear gas shells from a gas gun towards the agitating students from gate number one. Later, I came to know that the name of the student martyred by the police bullet was Abu Sayeed. At that time, ADC DB Shah Alam Patwari and DC Crime Mahbubur Rahman were present there. The IO interrogated me on March 18, 2025. This is my deposition

Cross-examination

Defense Lawyer Azizur Rahman Dulu Representing Accused no. 8-Amir Hossain, 9-Sujan Chandra Roy

Defense: Was a shotgun or a gas gun issued in your name?
Witness: A shotgun.

Defense: How many rounds of ammunition were issued to you?
Witness: 20 rounds.

Defense: With how many rounds did you return the weapon?
Witness: I returned it with 20 rounds.

Defense: What was the CC number?
Witness: I don’t remember.

Defense: Under whose command were you at that time?
Witness: As per CC, I was under the command of in-charge SI (Armed) Abdul Mannan.

Defense: Did you see SI Abdul Mannan carrying a shotgun or a gas gun?
Witness: I don’t remember what weapon he was carrying.

Defense: Including you, how many police members were there in SI Abdul Mannan’s team?
Witness: I don’t remember.

Defense: From where did you and the other police members collect your issued weapons?
Witness: From the Rangpur Metropolitan Police Lines.

Defense: And did you deposit them in the same place afterward?
Witness: Yes.

Defense: Can you tell us the name of the designated police officer from whom you received and deposited the weapons?
Witness: I cannot recall the name or designation of that person.

Defense: According to the CC, what was your assigned duty area?
Witness: Medical Mor.

Tribunal: What was written in the CC?
Witness: Medical Mor.

Witness: My duty was primarily at Eastern 1, but later I was sent to Medical Mor on orders.

(At this point, the prosecution raised an objection regarding CC, and this portion was struck from the record.)

Defense: If the CC is not being considered, then it should be recorded that, as per the CC issued in the name of SI Abdul Mannan (the witness was under his leadership). (The prosecution objected, arguing that the CC was not mentioned during the chief examination.)

Defense: As per the CC issued in the name of SI Abdul Mannan, under his command, did you go to Maruf Hossain’s office and then to Medical Mor at around 9 a.m.?
Witness: No separate^[1] CC was issued in my name.

An objection was raised by the prosecution that the cross- examination should be strictly confined to the chief. The chief does not have CC and this part has to be omitted. Afterwards this part “separate” was omitted from the record.

Defense: Did the student who was beaten by a few policemen assault the police?
Witness: I can’t say.

Defense: On the day of the incident, you did not perform any duty anywhere other than at Maruf Saheb’s office?
Witness: This is not true.

Defense: On that day, you did not perform any duty at the scene of this case?
Witness: This is not true.

Defense: You were absent from the scene but gave false testimony at the instruction of others.
Witness: This is not true.

State Defense Lawyer, Sujat Mia representing absconding Accused no. 1-Prof. Hasibur Rahman, 11-Hafizur Rahman, 12-Sarwar Hossain, 14 and 30, adopted cross-examination 8, 9.

Defense: Had you ever been to Begum Rokeya University before 16/07/2024?
Witness: I don’t remember.

Defense: You had not gone there before, yet today you have mentioned the names of officers, employees, and teachers of Begum Rokeya University?
Witness: I heard their names from my senior officers.

Defense: You said you took position at a distance for safety. How far was that distance?
Witness: I don’t remember.

Defense suggestion: Since you had not gone to Begum Rokeya University before 16/07/2024, you do not know the teachers, officers, and employees.
Witness: This is not true.

Defense Counsel Ataul Ghoni Titu representing Accused no. 10-Md. Shoriful Islam, adopted cross-examinations Nos. 8, 9.

Defense suggestion: The first three lines of your deposition—stating that on that morning you reached Mannan Hossain’s office and then went to Medical Mor through that office—are false.
Witness: This is not true.

Defense Counsel Sheikh Mustabhi Hassan representing Accused no. 13-Rafiul Hasan Rasel adopted cross-examination 8, 9.

Defense suggestion: You were not present at the scene on that day and have given false testimony.
Witness: This is not true.

State Defense Lawyer Md.Salauddin representing Accused no. 23 and 29, adopted cross-examination  8, 9, and 10.

State Defense Lawyer Mamun-Ur-Rashid representing absconding Accused no. 16-Pomel Barua, 17-22, 24 adopted cross-examinations 8, 9.

State Defense Lawyer Md. Shahidul Islam representing absconding Accused no. 15-Amin Hossain, 25, 26, 27 and 28 adopted cross-examination 8,9 and 10.

State Defense Lawyer, Israt Ony, appearing for accused numbers 2 to 7, adopted cross-examinations 8, 9, and 10.

Defense suggestion: On the day of the incident, you are not seen in any CCTV footage of Begum Rokeya University or any other video footage.
 Witness: This is not true.

In the end, the next date of hearing was discussed in the tribunal. The defense stated that due to security reasons, they would not be able to come tomorrow (13 November). They were asking for some time and the next date to be on Sunday. The prosecution repeatedly objected and stated that there is no provision in the law to ask for time on this ground.

The tribunal did not grant time. Then the defense said that the prosecution had taken more than a month of time; they had taken time from the tribunal consecutively several times, and the tribunal had granted that. But when we ask, we are not given time. The defense further said that today there was an attack on two police vehicles in Ramna.

Defense team: We are asking for time. Give us one day.

Time was not granted. The next date was on 13 November 2024. The tribunal said: At first, come tomorrow (13 November), what happens will be seen later on.