Kamrul Hasan
The members of Shah Ali police station on patrol duty in Mirpur’s
Gudaraghat area on Wednesday night could have saved tea-seller Babul
Matabbor had they tried to douse the fire instead of fleeing the scene.
An eight-year-old nephew of the victim first tried to pour a drinking water jar kept at the shop to put out the fire, but it was too heavy for him. No one came forward to help him. A constable rather barred him from the attempt. The desperate boy then rushed outside to collect sand and sprinkled it on Babul.
A police officer – the only person from the police team – sprinkled sand on Babul’s body to put out the fire. Informant Delowar Hossain was hurling abuse at the ill-fated tea vendor and attempted to grab his collar. Other members of the patrol team were watching the man get burned.
As soon as the fire spread all over Babul’s body, the patrol team and the informers left the scene immediately. Locals were prevented from going near the shop as long as the police members were there. As the law enforcers left the spot, the locals doused the fire and then Babul’s family members living nearby took him to hospital.
But it was already too late.
After primary examination, doctors at Dhaka Medical College Hospital said that he might survive seven or eight hours. Babul’s condition did not improve at the burn unit and he succumbed to his injuries around 1:30pm on Thursday, nearly 13 hours after he was admitted to the hospital with 90% burns.
Dr Partha Shangkar Paul, the residential surgeon of the DMCH burn unit, told the Dhaka Tribune that the victim could have been saved had someone poured enough water on his body quickly.
Babul was wearing woollen clothes which caused the fire spread quickly, eyewitnesses said.
“It is very difficult to say accurately whether he could be saved or not. It depends on the origin of the fire and the heat produced. He could be saved if the fire was doused within 30-40 seconds,” the physician added.
Tea-seller Babul, aged around 45, was preparing to close his shop around 9:30pm when he was attacked. He was pouring kerosene into a stove as a preparation for the next day.
Eyewitnesses alleged that the police members not only attacked the tea-seller but also barred others from coming to his aid. “The police have set up a very bad example of negligence and outrageous behaviour by letting the man get burned,” said a local.
The authorities on Thursday withdrew three sub-inspectors, an ASI and a constable for the sake of fair probe. Two probe committees were also formed to look into the matter. One of the probe bodies is set to submit its findings today.
Shah Ali police station’s Officer-in-Charge Shahin Mondol was withdrawn yesterday.
Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal and Shahin Mondol had earlier blamed police informants for the death of Babul, claiming that no police member had been involved in the incident. But yesterday the minister said that stern action would be taken against the police officers concerned.
Babul’s family, meanwhile, alleged that they were forced to file an attempted murder case accusing some local drug peddlers and two informants, instead of the police members. One of the drug traders named Parul has been arrested in the case.
The sad end of Babul’s life has created much hype as it took place at a time when several teams of patrol police in Dhaka were recently accused of torturing people and demanding bribes in the name of frisking.
“When I came out hearing screaming, I found some locals near the shop and a police officer sprinkling sand on Babul’s body. Realising that the efforts went in vain and more curious people gathering at the spot, the law enforcers and their informants left the scene on their vehicles,” said Jahanara Begum, a local.
After they left the place, Jahanara, Babul’s nephew Jahir and some other people doused the fire.
“It does not matter who set him [Babul] on fire. But how could the police members leave him there? No police member accompanied the family members to the hospital when they went to the police station seeking help. They even did not see him at the hospital,” said a local youth, seeking anonymity.
Babul’s nephew Jahir, 12, witnessed the incident on Wednesday night.
“The last customer left the tea stall after 9pm. All of a sudden, a police patrol car and a Noah microbus came to the spot. Two informants and three police members – two SI and a constable – came out of the cars.
“The informants – Aiyub Ali and Delowar Hossain – demanded Tk7,000 from my uncle. In reply, he said that he could not earn Tk2,000 that day, and refused to pay money even if he had the money.
“Hearing this Delowar grabbed his hand and tried to pull him out of the stall. At that time, he was pouring kerosene into the stove.
“During the scuffle, a constable hit the stove with his truncheon, and it fell on his chest causing the fire to start quickly as the kerosene spilled from the stove on his body.”
Jahir said that his younger brother tried to pour water on Babul from a jar but it was too heavy. The patrol team members also tried to stop the little boy. At that time, Babul was screaming for help and blaming Delowar for the situation.
As soon as Babul’s son Monir Hossain Raju arrived at the scene, Jahir said that they had managed a human haulier to take the victim to hospital. But they went to the police station as the vehicle had no authorisation to operate anywhere other than Mirpur area. After they had been able to convince the on-duty officers, the police gave them a special pass after around 15 minutes, Raju said.
Babul went through immense pain from the burns since the vehicle was not comfortable for him. He wanted to drink water and was screaming out of pain, Raju added.
A Dhaka Tribune correspondent found the spot left without any cordon yesterday although it is a general notion to cordon an area after any crime is occurred.
The chair Babul used to sit on and the roof made of terpal were found partially burned by the fire. After the incident, police collected the stove, the kettle and some other specimens from the spot.
Babul quit gang long ago
Babul’s daughter Rukhsana Akhter told the Dhaka Tribune that her father quit selling cannabis at least two years back as the police had threatened to take stern action against him.
Earlier, Babul started selling cannabis in favour of drug dealer Parul as he was unable to work hard due to sickness, she said, adding that he also worked as a caretaker of a house.
Six months ago, he filed an application with the police urging them not to harass him mentioning that he was no longer involved in the illegal business. He had submitted a similar application around two years ago.
Raju alleged that Parul was annoyed with Babul as he had quit the gang.
“On Wednesday, Parul’s husband was arrested by the police with cannabis. Parul then met Babul at his shop and blamed him for the arrest of her husband. She also threatened him with dire consequences mentioning her good connection with the police,” Raju said.
He alleged that some members of Shah Ali police had been involved in extortion and drugs business with the help of the informants. Delowar used to collect money from Parul every week.
Jahanara told the Dhaka Tribune that the patrol team first came to Babul around 1:30pm on Wednesday and demanded money. As he refused to pay, they later patrolled the area at least three times until the night.
An eight-year-old nephew of the victim first tried to pour a drinking water jar kept at the shop to put out the fire, but it was too heavy for him. No one came forward to help him. A constable rather barred him from the attempt. The desperate boy then rushed outside to collect sand and sprinkled it on Babul.
A police officer – the only person from the police team – sprinkled sand on Babul’s body to put out the fire. Informant Delowar Hossain was hurling abuse at the ill-fated tea vendor and attempted to grab his collar. Other members of the patrol team were watching the man get burned.
As soon as the fire spread all over Babul’s body, the patrol team and the informers left the scene immediately. Locals were prevented from going near the shop as long as the police members were there. As the law enforcers left the spot, the locals doused the fire and then Babul’s family members living nearby took him to hospital.
But it was already too late.
After primary examination, doctors at Dhaka Medical College Hospital said that he might survive seven or eight hours. Babul’s condition did not improve at the burn unit and he succumbed to his injuries around 1:30pm on Thursday, nearly 13 hours after he was admitted to the hospital with 90% burns.
Dr Partha Shangkar Paul, the residential surgeon of the DMCH burn unit, told the Dhaka Tribune that the victim could have been saved had someone poured enough water on his body quickly.
Babul was wearing woollen clothes which caused the fire spread quickly, eyewitnesses said.
“It is very difficult to say accurately whether he could be saved or not. It depends on the origin of the fire and the heat produced. He could be saved if the fire was doused within 30-40 seconds,” the physician added.
Tea-seller Babul, aged around 45, was preparing to close his shop around 9:30pm when he was attacked. He was pouring kerosene into a stove as a preparation for the next day.
Eyewitnesses alleged that the police members not only attacked the tea-seller but also barred others from coming to his aid. “The police have set up a very bad example of negligence and outrageous behaviour by letting the man get burned,” said a local.
The authorities on Thursday withdrew three sub-inspectors, an ASI and a constable for the sake of fair probe. Two probe committees were also formed to look into the matter. One of the probe bodies is set to submit its findings today.
Shah Ali police station’s Officer-in-Charge Shahin Mondol was withdrawn yesterday.
Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal and Shahin Mondol had earlier blamed police informants for the death of Babul, claiming that no police member had been involved in the incident. But yesterday the minister said that stern action would be taken against the police officers concerned.
Babul’s family, meanwhile, alleged that they were forced to file an attempted murder case accusing some local drug peddlers and two informants, instead of the police members. One of the drug traders named Parul has been arrested in the case.
The sad end of Babul’s life has created much hype as it took place at a time when several teams of patrol police in Dhaka were recently accused of torturing people and demanding bribes in the name of frisking.
“When I came out hearing screaming, I found some locals near the shop and a police officer sprinkling sand on Babul’s body. Realising that the efforts went in vain and more curious people gathering at the spot, the law enforcers and their informants left the scene on their vehicles,” said Jahanara Begum, a local.
After they left the place, Jahanara, Babul’s nephew Jahir and some other people doused the fire.
“It does not matter who set him [Babul] on fire. But how could the police members leave him there? No police member accompanied the family members to the hospital when they went to the police station seeking help. They even did not see him at the hospital,” said a local youth, seeking anonymity.
Babul’s nephew Jahir, 12, witnessed the incident on Wednesday night.
“The last customer left the tea stall after 9pm. All of a sudden, a police patrol car and a Noah microbus came to the spot. Two informants and three police members – two SI and a constable – came out of the cars.
“The informants – Aiyub Ali and Delowar Hossain – demanded Tk7,000 from my uncle. In reply, he said that he could not earn Tk2,000 that day, and refused to pay money even if he had the money.
“Hearing this Delowar grabbed his hand and tried to pull him out of the stall. At that time, he was pouring kerosene into the stove.
“During the scuffle, a constable hit the stove with his truncheon, and it fell on his chest causing the fire to start quickly as the kerosene spilled from the stove on his body.”
Jahir said that his younger brother tried to pour water on Babul from a jar but it was too heavy. The patrol team members also tried to stop the little boy. At that time, Babul was screaming for help and blaming Delowar for the situation.
As soon as Babul’s son Monir Hossain Raju arrived at the scene, Jahir said that they had managed a human haulier to take the victim to hospital. But they went to the police station as the vehicle had no authorisation to operate anywhere other than Mirpur area. After they had been able to convince the on-duty officers, the police gave them a special pass after around 15 minutes, Raju said.
Babul went through immense pain from the burns since the vehicle was not comfortable for him. He wanted to drink water and was screaming out of pain, Raju added.
A Dhaka Tribune correspondent found the spot left without any cordon yesterday although it is a general notion to cordon an area after any crime is occurred.
The chair Babul used to sit on and the roof made of terpal were found partially burned by the fire. After the incident, police collected the stove, the kettle and some other specimens from the spot.
Babul quit gang long ago
Babul’s daughter Rukhsana Akhter told the Dhaka Tribune that her father quit selling cannabis at least two years back as the police had threatened to take stern action against him.
Earlier, Babul started selling cannabis in favour of drug dealer Parul as he was unable to work hard due to sickness, she said, adding that he also worked as a caretaker of a house.
Six months ago, he filed an application with the police urging them not to harass him mentioning that he was no longer involved in the illegal business. He had submitted a similar application around two years ago.
Raju alleged that Parul was annoyed with Babul as he had quit the gang.
“On Wednesday, Parul’s husband was arrested by the police with cannabis. Parul then met Babul at his shop and blamed him for the arrest of her husband. She also threatened him with dire consequences mentioning her good connection with the police,” Raju said.
He alleged that some members of Shah Ali police had been involved in extortion and drugs business with the help of the informants. Delowar used to collect money from Parul every week.
Jahanara told the Dhaka Tribune that the patrol team first came to Babul around 1:30pm on Wednesday and demanded money. As he refused to pay, they later patrolled the area at least three times until the night.
