Testimony of Rabiul Awal Bhuiyan

My name is Rabiul Awal Bhuiyan. My present age is approximately 25 years. My address: Village—, Thana—, District—.

I am a Master’s student at Sylhet Agricultural University. Shaheed Imam Hasan Tayeem Bhuiyan was my younger brother.

On 1 July 2024, the anti-discrimination student movement began. Until 14 July, the movement continued peacefully. On 14 July, in a press conference, the former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, in response to questions from journalists, labeled the protesters as “children of Razakars, grandchildren of Razakars.” As a result, the movement intensified. I participated in the movement in Sylhet. My younger brother, Imam Hasan Tayeem Bhuiyan, participated in the movement in Kajla, Jatrabari, Dhaka.

From 16 to 19 July, he joined the demonstrations all day. My mother used to sit nearby with his bag. On the night of 19 July, the government imposed curfew. On 20 July, the curfew was relaxed from 12:00 noon to 2:00 p.m. My brother told my mother that he was going to have tea, but instead he joined the protest. At that time, I called him twice but he did not receive. At around 12:31 p.m., when I called again, I found his phone switched off. Around 12:50 p.m., when I called my mother, she told me that the landlord had informed her that Tayeem had been shot. My mother went to the spot, near Kajla foot-over bridge, and found his shoes and blood. People present there told her that her son had been taken away in a van by the police towards Jatrabari Police Station.

Hearing that my brother had been shot, I informed my maternal aunt, Mosammat Shahida Akter. Crying, she went to Dhaka Medical College Hospital. After searching, when Tayeem could not be found, she showed his photo to a journalist. The journalist said that Tayeem had been brought to the hospital dead. The next day, my father collected the body from there and took it to our village home in Cumilla. I traveled from Sylhet to our home in Cumilla. There, on 21 July at about 10:00 p.m., his body was buried. From my father I learned that my younger brother’s body bore around 200 pellet injuries.

From Tayeem’s friends I learned that when the police fired tear shells, sound grenades, and bullets, everyone scattered. Tayeem and two friends took shelter in Liton’s tea shop. Police dragged all three of them out and beat them severely. The police insulted them and told them to run. Tayeem started to run. At that time, one police officer shot him in the leg. When he turned back, another bullet was fired at his lower body. That bullet entered from the front and exited from the back. He was then shot many more times with a shotgun. At that time, his friend Rahat tried to save him by pulling him from behind, but police also shot Rahat and forced him to leave Tayeem behind. After Rahat left, Tayeem lay there for about half an hour. He was writhing in pain and crying out, “Save me, save me.” Many journalists and people present tried to take him to the hospital, but the police did not allow them. Instead, they enjoyed watching him die. Within 20 yards of the spot there were two hospitals on either side of the road.

After about half an hour, police put him in a van and brought him in front of Jatrabari Police Station. They dragged him down from the van and 5–6 policemen trampled him with their boots, disfiguring his face. Among them were ADC Shamim, ADC Masudur Rahman Monir, and AC Nahid. Later, someone took him by van to the hospital, where doctors declared him dead.

It was Sub-Inspector Sajjaduzzaman of Jatrabari Police Station who first shot him in the leg. Later, ADC Shamim took a weapon from another and shot him in the lower part of the body. Then OC (Investigation) Zakir Hossain fired many more shots. At the scene at that time were Joint Commissioner Sudip Kumar Chakraborty, Joint Commissioner Proloy, DC Iqbal, ADC Masudur Rahman Monir, AC Nahid, AC Tanzil, OC Abul Hasan, OC Operations Wahidul Haque Mamun, along with 10–15 other policemen.

On 26 July, I saw the video of my brother’s killing broadcast on different television channels and social media.

On 28 July, we first went to Police Commissioner Habibur Rahman to file a case. He did not meet us. Then we went to Jatrabari Police Station to file a case, but the police refused. From there we were taken to the office of DC Wari, Iqbal. DC Iqbal also refused to accept the case, saying that the police themselves would be the complainant.

Under the instructions of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, former IGP Chowdhury Abdullah Al Mamun, and former Home Secretaries, my brother along with nearly two thousand protesting students and civilians were killed. I demand the death penalty for them.

I am submitting to the Tribunal a pen drive containing the video of my brother being shot. This is that pen drive (Exhibit-VI). The video was played in the Tribunal. (At this stage, the witness broke down in tears.)

The Investigating Officer has interrogated me. This is my testimony.

Cross Examination by Amir Hossain

Neither my father, nor my grandfather, nor the fathers or grandfathers of my fellow activists were Razakars. The former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, addressing the protesting students and general people, had called them “children of Razakars.”

It is not true that I did not tell the Investigating Officer about the statement “my mother used to sit by my side.”

It is not true that I did not tell the Investigating Officer that my brother’s body was struck by 200 bullets.

It is not true that many things I have stated today in this testimony were not told to the Investigating Officer.

Yes, the description of events up until my brother’s burial, which I have given here, I learned from others.

It is not true that I gave false testimony only for political reasons.

It is not true that the accused are innocent.