Odhikar

A rickshaw van puller killed by the BSF at the Putkhali border under Jessore District

Abdul Jalil (43) who was a rickshaw van puller and a day-labourer also used to work for the cattle traders. According to the eye-witness, Ahmed Ali, on 23 January 2010 at night he along with Jalil, Ashadul and Nuruddin started their journey towards India by boat. They crossed the Ichamoti river and reached the Indian side at Angrail village at around 1.00 am on 24 January 2010. From Angrail they took three cows and a calf to cross the border of Putkhali. According to their plan, Nuruddin was the line man, and he left earlier than the rest of the outfit. Odhikar was told by Ahmed Ali that at around 2.00 am they were returning from the Indian side by crossing the Ichamoti river. Nuruddin’s boat was too small to carry four cows and three people. Nuruddin crossed the river first without them and told Ahmed that the road was clear. Jalil, who was cripple at birth was slowly following Ashadul and Ahmed. When Ashadul and Ahmed reached
the bank of the Ichamoti river at the Indian side, two BSF members from the Angrail camp attacked them. After seeing the BSF, Ashadul and Ahmed fled, leaving the cattle in a bamboo bush at the Indian side. However, Jalil, being slower, was caught by the BSF at the bank of the river.

Ahmed and Ashadul saw two masked BSF members equipped with batons and rifles. After catching Jalil one BSF member beat him severely with his rifle and baton onto his neck and head. They heard Jalil cry out for pardon. According to Ahmed while one was beating Jalil the other called the Angrail camp. About 15 minutes later two motorbikes came to take away Jalil and the BSF members.

On 30 January 2010 at around 9.00 am Jalil’s wife heard from his brother Ahmed Ali that Jalil’s body had been found by the villagers of Putkhali from Ichamoti river. On 2 February 2010 at 11.30 am she had a chance to see Jalil’s body (covered with a bamboo pannier) after it was returned from the police station. As per Sub-Inspector (SI) Ali Akbar, Investigating Officer, Benapole Police Station, and the inquest report, there was no gunshot wound in the body but
there were a lot of injuries and bruises on his head and right ear lobe with clotted blood. SI Ali Akbar suspected that the body might have thrown to the river 7/8 days earlier. The body of Jalil was found in a decomposed state. The post mortem was conducted on 2 February 2010 at Jessore Medical College Hospital.

fact-finding-border violence-Abdul Jalil-2010 (full text in English, PDF)

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