A government doctor on Sunday told the International Crimes Tribunal-1 that he was pressured by state agencies and political figures to falsify the post-mortem report of Begum Rokeya University, Rangpur student Abu Sayeed, the first murdered victim during the 2024 July uprising.
Rangpur Medical College associate professor of forensic medicine, Dr Md Rajibul Islam, made the remark while testifying as the 17th prosecution witness in the crimes against humanity case against deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina, her home minister Asaduzzaman Khan, and former inspector general of police Chwodhury Abdullah Al Mamun for their superior responsibilities to the crimes across the country during to July uprising.
Hasina and Asaduzzaman are now absconding in India and ex-IGP Mamun has turned into state evidence.
鈥業 did not change my report despite the pressure, I stood by my findings that Abu Sayeed died from gunshot wounds, not head injuries,鈥� Rajibul testified in the ICT-1.
The tribunal led by Justice Md Golam Mortuza Mozumder adjourned the hearing in the case until Monday morning.
Sayeed, the coordinator of the Students Against Discrimination at the university, was shot in the chest when police opened fire. The incident was widely broadcast live.
Rajibul said that high-level officials, including intelligence officers, the police, and political leaders, tried to force him to report that Abu Sayeed died from a head injury, not from bullet wounds.
鈥業 told them the entire nation saw him being shot live on television,鈥� Dr Rajibul saidy.
鈥業 want justice for those who ordered the killing and those who facilitated the killers.鈥�
Rajibul said that he was repeatedly summoned and intimidated before submitting the official post-mortem report on June 30, 2024.
He said that he was called in a meeting in the office of Rangpur Medical College鈥檚 vice principal Mahfuzur Rahaman, where officials from Directorate General of Forces Intelligence, City Special Branch, Detective Branch of the police, and the then pro-government doctors鈥� association Swachip鈥檚 president Sarowat Hossain Chandan as well as the then superintendent of police and the then Rangpur Metropolitan Police commissioner Abu Maruf Hossain Titu were present.
鈥楾hey pressured me to write that the cause of the death was a head injury, even though my findings showed clear pellet injuries from gunshots,鈥� he said. 鈥楾here were no signs of head trauma,鈥� he told the tribunal.
He added that his post-mortem report was rejected three times because it did not align with the version the officials wanted.
Rajibul alleged that he was threatened with legal consequences if he did not comply and was told there were intelligence reports against him.
He claimed that he was also offered incentives, including foreign trips to Malaysia and Singapore, and when he said that he had no passport, a two-week trip to Cox鈥檚 Bazar was offered instead.
鈥楽wachip leader Chandan told me, 鈥淲e are doing business with Abu Sayeed鈥檚 body. Prime minister Sheikh Hasina is concerned. Do as the police want, and we will take care of you鈥�,鈥� he told the tribunal.
As part of his testimony, Rajibul submitted a video documentary by Al Jazeera, which included a recorded conversation between Sheikh Hasina鈥檚 the then industries adviser Salman F Rahman and the then IGP Chowdhury Abdullah Al Mamun.
In the audio, Salman inquired about the delay in the post-mortem, and the IGP replied that the doctor was not cooperating.
A total of 19 prosecution witnesses testified in the case in seven working days.
In a separate case, the ICT-2 is scheduled for August 27 to record evidence against BRU,R vice chancellor Hasibur Rashid and 29 others over Abu Sayeed鈥� murder.