Former ASP Fazlur arrested and jailed over Sukharanjan Bali disappearance case
A retired Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), Md. Fazlur, has been ordered to jail in connection with the alleged abduction of Sukharanjan Bali, a witness who testified for Jamaat-e-Islami leader Delawar Hossain Sayedee at the International Crimes Tribunal. The order was issued by Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Mahbub Alam on Friday afternoon, though Fazlur was not present in court, remaining in the court's custody. Fazlur was arrested at his residence in Badda, Dhaka, on Thursday night by the Detective Branch (DB) of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) and subsequently handed over to the investigation agency of the International Crimes Tribunal. The investigation officer requested Fazlur's arrest and detention until the investigation is complete, citing preliminary evidence of his involvement. Sukharanjan Bali, who testified for Sayedee in a 1971 war crimes case, went missing in 2012 after appearing at the tribunal. He was allegedly forcibly taken from outside the tribunal premises by individuals in plain clothes and held captive for nearly two months, subjected to physical torture, and then smuggled into India. After five years in an Indian prison, he was brought back to Bangladesh by his son after the matter gained media attention. The investigation officer stated that evidence suggests Fazlur and his team transported Bali to a DB office before he was sent across the border. Bali filed a written complaint on August 21, 2024, after the fall of the Awami League government on August 5, 2024, alleging he was abducted and tortured for refusing to testify against Sayedee and later for testifying in his favor. His complaint named 32 individuals, including former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, former Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha, former tribunal chairman Justice Nizamul Huq Nasim, and former law minister Shafique Ahmed, among others.
The arrest of retired ASP Fazlur in the Sukharanjan Bali disappearance case highlights the complex legal and political aftermath of the International Crimes Tribunal proceedings. The complaint, filed after a significant political shift, implicates high-profile figures and suggests potential systemic issues in witness protection and judicial processes during the tribunal's operation. The alleged actions, if proven, raise critical questions about the integrity of the legal framework designed to prosecute war crimes and the potential for abuse of power. Future legal and political developments will likely focus on the thoroughness of the investigation, the evidence presented, and the accountability mechanisms for state actors involved in such alleged actions. This situation underscores the enduring challenges of transitional justice and the importance of robust safeguards for witnesses and the rule of law in post-conflict or politically charged environments.
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