Attack on Bernicat's Motorcade: DB Sends Letter to US Embassy

The Detective Branch (DB) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police has sought the cooperation of the US Embassy in Dhaka for further investigation into the attack on the motorcade of former US Ambassador Marcia Bernicat. The DB has asked the embassy to inform it if there is any 'information' or 'observation' regarding the case.

The investigating officer of the case, DB Assistant Commissioner Rajan Kumar Saha, has sent a letter to the embassy in this regard.

On August 21, The letter was sent to the Senior Foreign Service National Investigator of the Regional Security Office of the US Embassy.

Five years have passed since the attack on Marcia Bernicat's motorcade, but no one has been brought to justice. The court ordered further investigation into the case.

On the night of August 4, 2018, the then-US Ambassador Marcia Bernicat attended a dinner at the Mohammadpur residence of Badiul Alam Majumder, secretary of a civil society organization named Citizens for Good Governance (SUJAN). While getting into the car after dinner, Marcia’s car came under attack.

The letter sent from the DB to the embassy details the events of that day. It is said in the letter that in March 2021, the court framed charges against nine people in this case. They are Feroz Mahmud, Naimul Islam, Mir Amjad Hossain, Saju Islam, Rajibul Islam, Shahidul Alam Khan, Mojahid Azmi, Siam, and Oli Ahmed. However, the Public Prosecutor (PP) of Dhaka Metropolitan Sessions Judge Court Abdullah Abu requested further investigation. In the application, he said that five people including the complainant had given their statement before the court and three of them mentioned the name of Ishtiaq Mahmud, the brother-in-law of the plaintiff Badiul Alam Majumdar, as the accused. But the investigating officer did not mention his name. So more investigation is needed to identify the real culprit.

DB Assistant Commissioner Rajan Kumar Saha said in the letter that he has been appointed investigation officer after the court ordered further investigation. In the letter, he mentioned, 'I have already gone to the spot, talked to the plaintiff Badiul Alam Majumdar, am trying to collect evidence, the investigation is going on.'

Marcia Bernicat served as the US Ambassador to Dhaka from 2015 to 2018. The United States has repeatedly asked Bangladesh about the progress of the investigation into the attack on the car carrying Marcia Bernicat. They demanded that the incident of attack should be taken very seriously and an effective and impartial investigation should be carried out in this regard.

At that time, the US also sent a diplomatic letter to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs seeking justice for those involved in the attack on the ambassador's car. Members of the ambassador's security team identified two of the attackers, the diplomatic note said. During the attack, the two men were shouting that Badiul Alam was involved in anti-government activities. The attackers punched two members of the ambassador's security team when they were stopped as they approached the convoy. As the convoy was leaving, the attackers hit two vehicles with sticks.

Condemning the attack, the Bangladesh government at that time made a statement calling it "unfortunate". It is assured that appropriate action will be taken after the investigation.