The government on Tuesday decided to withdraw both the cases filed by Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) against Jhalakati college student Limon Hossain, maimed by the elite force two years back.The government has taken the decision considering Limon’s age following a request by National Human Rights Commission chairman Dr Mizanur Rahman, a Home Ministry official told journalists.
Meanwhile, replying to a query, Home Minister Muhiuddin Khan Alamgir said that they do not think it necessary to take action against the RAB personnel who maimed the college student. “We’ve to consider under what circumstance Limon was arrested.”
According to a source at the NHRC, its chief Dr Mizanur Rahman wrote a letter to the Home Minister on May 30 requesting him to take initiatives for lifting the cases against the college student.
In the letter, he said the image of RAB has been badly dented following the cruel torture on Limon and filing of cases against him. Questions have been raised both at home and abroad about the role of the NHRC following the incident.
Earlier, the NHRC chairman had been under fire following a media report that he on June 23 asked Limon to withdraw the cases his mother had filed against six RAB officials, considering his future economic security.
Opposition BNP, some other political parties and civil society members demanded resignation of Dr Mizanur Rahman for his undue request to Limon Hossain. Earlier, last week, a Jhalakati court framed charges against Limon in an arms case filed by RAB.
A six-member team of RAB reportedly shot at the leg of Limon, who used to work at a brick kiln to manage his educational expenses, after taking him to a place adjacent to his house at Jamaddarhat in Rajapur upazila of Jhalakati district on March 23, 2011. The team picked him up from the brick kiln.
Later, Limon’s left leg was amputated at the National Institute of Traumatology and Orthopaedic Rehabilitation as the tissues were totally damaged due to excessive bleeding caused by delay in treatment after the shooting.
Later, RAB filed two cases against him — one accusing him of possessing firearms and another for what they said obstructing them from discharging their professional duties.
Limon’s mother, Henoara Begum, filed a case with Rajapur Police Station on April 10, 2011, accusing six RAB personnel of attempted murder and maiming his son.
Police secretly submitted the final report on the case to a court on August 14, 2012, saying they found no evidence and witnesses against the RAB personnel.
Limon’s mother filed ‘no confidence’ petition against the final report on August 30, 2012, which was rejected by a Senior Judicial Magistrate’s Court on February 13, 2013.
