Sinha Murder Trial: Third Phase of Witnesses’ Testimony Begins

The third phase of testimony in Major (retd) Sinha Mohammad Rashed Khan's murder case began today and will last through September 22.

After six witnesses testified in the second phase, Cox's Bazar District and Sessions Judge Mohammad Ismail set the date for 8 September, the last day of second phase hearing.

Three witnesses would appear on the first day of the third phase, according to Cox's Bazar District and Sessions Judge's Court Public Prosecutor (PP) Advocate Faridul Alam.

The formal trial of the murder case started on 23 August this year.

According to court sources, Sinha Md Rashed Khan was shot dead by police at Shamlapur check post on Teknaf Marine Drive on the night of July 31, 2020. The police filed three cases (two in Teknaf and one in Ramu). Police arrested Shahedul Islam Sifat, who was with Sinha in the case. Police also detained two members of his video team, Shipra Debnath and Tahsin Rifat Nur, who entered the Nilima resort in Himchhari where Sinha was then. After releasing Nur, the police arrested Shipra and Sifat and sent them to jail. They were later released on bail. 

Five days after the incident, on August 5, Sinha's elder sister Sharmin Shahriar Ferdous filed a murder case against Teknaf Police OC Pradeep Kumar Das, Baharchhara Investigation Center Inspector Liaquat Ali and nine other policemen in a Cox's Bazar court. RAB is responsible for investigating four cases.

On December 13, 2020, Md Khairul Islam, an investigating officer and senior assistant superintendent of police at RAB-15 Cox's Bazar, filed a chargesheet against 15 people, including OC Pradeep Kumar Das.