Detective Branch
{{Short description|Bangladesh Police Detective Branch}}
{{Infobox government agency
| agency_name = Detective Branch
| nativename =
| nativename_a = {{nq|গোয়েন্দা শাখা}}
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| logo =
| logo_width = 180px
| logo_caption = Insignia of Detective Branch
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| formed = {{start date and age|1997}}
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| agency_type = Police intelligence
| superseding =
| jurisdiction = Government of Bangladesh
| headquarters = Minto Road, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| budget = Classified
| employees = 34,000 personnel (about)
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| parent_agency = {{flagicon image|Bangladesh Police Flag.svg}} Bangladesh Police
| parent_department = {{flatlist|
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| website = {{Official URL}}
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The Detective Branch ({{langx|bn|গোয়েন্দা শাখা|Gōẏēndā śākhā}}; abbreviated as DB) is a specialized unit of the Bangladesh Police. It mostly deals with investigative activities and special operations in sensitive cases and places.{{cite news |title=DB chief vows to end 'Aynaghar' and 'Bhater Hotel' culture |url=https://www.tbsnews.net/bangladesh/no-more-bhaater-hotel-aynaghar-or-celebrity-gatherings-db-office-detective-branch-chief |work=The Business Standard |date=5 October 2024 |language=en}} The main task of the detectives of this unit is to collect the information behind the news from the grass root level for the purpose of investigating the events of any serious hidden crime or unsolved historical crime.{{cite news |title=Bangladesh MP Murder: Detective chief says conspirator may have escaped to US, seeks Interpol's help to track down suspect |url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/international/world-news/bangladesh-mp-murder-detective-chief-says-conspirator-may-have-escaped-to-us-seeks-interpols-help-to-track-down-suspect/articleshow/110449528.cms?from=mdr |work=The Economic Times |date=27 May 2024}} Also, if necessary, they arrest those who are suspicious individuals.{{cite news |title=AL ex-lawmaker Solaiman Selim arrested in Gulshan|url=https://www.bssnews.net/news/223389 |work=Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha |date=14 November 2024}}
History
On 1 July 2016, Intelligence Branch Assistant Commissioner Rabiul Karim was shot dead by terrorists in the July 2016 Dhaka attack.{{cite news |title=Who were the victims of Dhaka café tragedy? |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/dhaka-attack/who-were-the-victim-dhaka-caf%C3%A9-tragedy-1249711 |work=The Daily Star (Bangladesh) |date=3 July 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240611103837/https://www.thedailystar.net/dhaka-attack/who-were-the-victim-dhaka-caf%C3%A9-tragedy-1249711 |archive-date=11 June 2024 |language=en}}
According to Human Rights Watch, there is extensive documentation of human rights violations by the Detective Branch and the Rapid Action Battalion.{{Cite web |date=26 June 2021 |title=Bangladesh: Hold Security Forces Accountable for Torture |url=https://www.hrw.org/news/2021/06/26/bangladesh-hold-security-forces-accountable-torture |access-date=8 October 2022 |website=Human Rights Watch |language=en}}{{Cite book |last=Human Rights Watch |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4fOfCwAAQBAJ&dq=Detective+Branch+bangladesh&pg=PT117 |title=World Report 2016: Events of 2015 |date=29 February 2016 |publisher=Policy Press |isbn=978-1-4473-2550-5 |language=en}} According to Human Rights Watch, 70 percent of extrajudicial deaths involving the police involved the Detective Branch.{{Cite web |date=16 August 2021 |title='Where No Sun Can Enter': A Decade of Enforced Disappearances in Bangladesh |url=https://www.hrw.org/report/2021/08/16/where-no-sun-can-enter/decade-enforced-disappearances-bangladesh |website=Human Rights Watch |language=en}}{{cite web |title=2022 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices: Bangladesh |url=https://www.state.gov/reports/2022-country-reports-on-human-rights-practices/bangladesh/ |website=United States Department of State |access-date=1 August 2024}}{{cite web |title=Killed in 'Crossfire' |url=https://www.amnesty.org/en/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/ASA1312652019ENGLISH.pdf |website= |publisher=Amnesty International |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240731192747/https://www.amnesty.org/en/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/ASA1312652019ENGLISH.pdf |access-date=31 July 2024 |archive-date=31 July 2024}}
Controversies
In 1998, Shamim Reza Rubel, a student of Independent University, Bangladesh, was arrested by Detective Branch members. He was then tortured and killed in custody.{{Cite news |url=http://www.thedailystar.net/news-detail-184465 |title=Cop Akram, 11 others acquitted |date=6 May 2011 |work=The Daily Star (Bangladesh) |access-date=21 April 2017 |language=en}}{{Cite news |url=http://www.thedailystar.net/frontpage/sad-death-gives-hopes-all-1228921 |title=Sad death gives hopes for all |date=25 May 2016 |work=The Daily Star (Bangladesh) |access-date=21 April 2016 |language=en}}
On 25 March 1999, a body of an informant was recovered from the water tank of Detective Branch headquarters in Minto road in Dhaka.{{Cite news |last1=Bappi |first1=Emrul Hasan |last2=Ch |first2=Chaitanya |last3=Halder |first3=ra |date=20 March 2022 |title=DB Informer Jalal Killing: Trial stuck in legal limbo |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/news/bangladesh/news/trial-stuck-legal-limbo-2986436 |access-date=8 October 2022 |work=The Daily Star (Bangladesh) |language=en}} Munshi Atiqur Rahman was made investigation officer of the case and pressed charges against four officers of the Detective Branch. The case has been in limbo since then.
Assistant Commissioner of Detective Branch Motiur Rahman led a team that detained and tortured a businessman for the purposes of extortion in 2010.{{Cite web |title=BANGLADESH: Detective Branch Police forced businessman to pay ransom after kidnapping and torture- victim goes into hiding due to threats after filing complaint |url=http://www.humanrights.asia/news/urgent-appeals/AHRC-UAC-081-2010/ |access-date=8 October 2022 |website=Asian Human Rights Commission |language=en-US}}{{Cite news |date=24 May 2010|title=DB official, 5 other cops sued for 'extortion' |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/news-detail-139793 |access-date=8 October 2022 |work=The Daily Star (Bangladesh) |language=en}}
The Detective Branch detained and tortured Rehana Yeasmin Dolly, a member of Jatiotabadi Mohila Dal, the women's wing of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party from Wari in 2012.{{Cite web |title=Odhikar - The alleged torture of Rehana Yeasmin Dolly an activist of Jatiyotabadi Mohila Dol of ward no.74 of Dhaka Metropolitan area by DB police members |url=http://odhikar.org/the-alleged-torture-of-rehana-yeasmin-dolly-an-activist-of-jatiyotabadi-mohila-dol-of-ward-no-74-of-dhaka-metropolitan-area-by-db-police-members/ |access-date=8 October 2022 |language=en-US}}
File:DB police at shahid minar in 21 february,2023 3.jpg
File:DB police at shahid minar in 21 february,2023.jpg
In March 2015, seven Detective Branch members entered a border village in Tripura, India while chasing a criminal in Comilla near the Bangladesh-India border.{{Cite news |url=http://www.thedailystar.net/world/bsf%E2%80%99-picks-4-bangladesh-detectives-73857 |title='BSF' picks up 4 Bangladesh detectives |date=26 March 2015 |work=The Daily Star (Bangladesh) |access-date=21 April 2017 |language=en}}{{Cite news |url=http://bdnews24.com/bangladesh/2015/03/25/bsf-detains-4-bangladeshi-detectives-at-comilla-border |title=BSF detains 4 Bangladeshi detectives at Comilla border |work=bdnews24.com |access-date=21 April 2017}} They were surrounded by the villagers, while three detective members escaped four were detained by Indian Border Security Force. They were handed over to Border Guards Bangladesh and BSF asked that the DB men be charged under Bangladeshi laws.{{Cite news |url=http://bdnews24.com/bangladesh/2015/03/26/bsf-returns-four-bangladesh-policemen-detained-from-indian-territory |title=BSF returns four Bangladesh policemen detained from Indian territory |work=bdnews24.com |access-date=21 April 2017}}
On 1 July 2016, Rabiul Karim, assistant commissioner of the Detective Branch Dhaka died in the July 2016 Dhaka attack trying to storm the restaurant taken over by terrorists.{{cite news |title=Recalled in tears of pride |url=http://www.thedailystar.net/city/recalled-tears-pride-1369513 |work=The Daily Star (Bangladesh) |access-date=7 March 2017 |language=en |date=2 March 2017}} On 12 January 2017, 11 fake members of the branch were arrested in Sabujbagh, Dhaka by the Detective Branch.{{cite news |title=11 fake DB men detained in Dhaka |url=http://www.dhakatribune.com/bangladesh/crime/2017/02/12/10-fake-db-men-detained-dhaka/ |work=Dhaka Tribune |access-date=7 March 2017 |date=12 February 2017}}
Superintendent of Police Harun-ur-Rashid ordered the withdrawal of three officers of the Detective Branch after they had assaulted a nurse on duty at Shaheed Tajuddin Ahmed Medical College Hospital.{{Cite news |date=16 February 2016 |title=3 Gazipur detectives withdrawn for 'beating up nurse' |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/country/3-gazipur-detectives-withdrawn-beating-nurse-511930 |access-date=8 October 2022 |work=The Daily Star (Bangladesh) |language=en}} An inspector of the Detective Branch, Bahauddin Faruqui, was injured after being attacked with machetes while leading a raid in Dhaka.{{Cite news |date=19 February 2016 |title=Detective hurt in Badda attack |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/city/detective-hurt-badda-attack-575026 |access-date=8 October 2022 |work=The Daily Star (Bangladesh) |language=en}} Mahbub Sarkar, sub-inspector of Detective Branch, was shot in April 2016 during a police raid in Tatibazar, Dhaka.{{Cite news |date=19 April 2016 |title=Cop shot in Dhaka |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/city/cop-shot-dhaka-1211188 |access-date=8 October 2022 |work=The Daily Star (Bangladesh) |language=en}} The Detective Branch arrested six in Khulna with tiger skins.{{Cite news |date=25 August 2016 |title=6 held with tiger skin in Khulna |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/country/6-held-tiger-skin-khulna-1275295 |access-date=8 October 2022 |work=The Daily Star (Bangladesh) |agency=United News of Bangladesh |language=en}}
The Detective Branch detained four Nigerians on fraud and human trafficking charges.{{Cite news |date=27 July 2017 |title=9 including 4 Nigerians held in Dhaka |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/city/9-including-4-nigerians-held-dhaka-1439500 |access-date=8 October 2022 |work=The Daily Star (Bangladesh) |language=en}} Seven members of the Detective Branch were detained in October 2017 with ransom money after they had kidnapped a businessman in Tekhnaf at a Bangladesh Army check post.{{Cite news |date=25 October 2017 |title=7 DB men suspended over 'kidnapping' businessman |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/country/army-arrests-7-detectives-over-businessman-kidnap-taknaf-ransom-1481548 |access-date=8 October 2022 |work=The Daily Star (Bangladesh) |language=en}}{{Cite news |date=27 October 2017 |title=DB men involved in kidnapping |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/editorial/db-men-involved-kidnapping-1482361 |access-date=8 October 2022 |work=The Daily Star (Bangladesh) |language=en}}{{Cite news |date=26 October 2017 |title=Home minister: Army did the right thing by detaining the seven DB men |url=https://archive.dhakatribune.com/bangladesh/crime/2017/10/27/home-minister-army-right-detaining-db-men |access-date=8 October 2022 |work=Dhaka Tribune}} In September 2022, those officers were sentenced to seven years of imprisonment.{{Cite news |title=Abduction, ransom: 7 DB men get 7 years in prison |url=https://www.kalerkantho.com/english/online/national/2022/09/20/39495 |access-date=8 October 2022 |work=Kaler Kantho |language=en}}{{Cite news |title=7 DB men jailed for 7 years |url=https://www.observerbd.com/news.php?id=384904 |access-date=8 October 2022 |work=The Daily Observer (Bangladesh)}}
Inspector Md Jalal Uddin of the Detective Branch was killed in a shootout with criminals in Mirpur while on a joint raid with Mirpur Police Station in March 2018.{{Cite news |date=20 March 2018 |title=DB inspector hurt in last night's raid, dies |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/city/cop-hurt-last-night-raid-dhaka-dies-1550854 |access-date=8 October 2022 |work=The Daily Star (Bangladesh) |language=en}} Sub-inspector Bashir Uddin of the Detective Branch alleged that his former commanding officer Inspector Monirul Islam, and Sub-inspector Kamal Hossain had stolen drugs from a raid and made 800 thousand taka selling them.{{Cite news |date=1 March 2018 |title='Police seize yaba, become dealers' |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/backpage/yaba-busting-cops-turn-yaba-dealers-1541695 |access-date=8 October 2022 |work=The Daily Star (Bangladesh) |language=en}} He and Cox's Bazar's Officer-in-Charge alleged they were threatened by the duo.{{Cite news |date=2 March 2018 |title=Who will guard the guards? |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/editorial/who-will-guard-the-guards-1542043 |access-date=8 October 2022 |work=The Daily Star (Bangladesh) |language=en}}
A sub-inspector of the Detective Branch, Syed Md Rashedul Alam, was detained for a robbery in Dhaka in December 2019.{{Cite news |date=13 January 2020 |title=Cop placed on 2-day remand in robbery case |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/city/news/cop-placed-2-day-remand-robbery-case-1853641 |access-date=8 October 2022 |work=The Daily Star (Bangladesh)|language=en}} Detective Branch officials detained and tortured Mohammad Abdul Kaium, a journalist in Mymensingh.{{Cite web |title=Bangladesh: Release on bail of Mr. Mohammad Abdul Kaium |url=https://www.fidh.org/en/issues/human-rights-defenders/bangladesh-release-on-bail-of-mr-mohammad-abdul-kaium |access-date=8 October 2022 |website=International Federation for Human Rights |language=en}}
In August 2021, six members of the Detective Branch were detained for robbing a gold businessman of 20 gold bar worth 12.4 million taka.{{Cite news |title=Six detectives rob bizman of 20 gold bars in Feni, held |url=https://www.unb.com.bd/category/Bangladesh/six-detectives-rob-bizman-of-20-gold-bars-in-feni-held/77038 |access-date=8 October 2022 |work=United News of Bangladesh |language=en}}{{cite news |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/news/bangladesh/crime-justice/news/6-policemen-held-robbing-gold-businessman-2149836 |title=6 policemen held for robbing gold businessman |work=The Daily Star (Bangladesh) |date=11 August 2021}}
Harun-ur-Rashid, a controversial policeman, was appointed head of the Detective Branch of DMP on 13 July 2022.{{Cite news |date=13 July 2022 |title=Harun Or Rashid promoted to DB chief |url=https://www.tbsnews.net/bangladesh/law-order/harun-or-rashid-promoted-db-chief-457606 |access-date=8 October 2022 |work=The Business Standard |language=en}}
In September 2022, Detective Branch members of Dhaka District north tortured several members of a Hindu family, including a 14-year-old, in Dhamrai when to go to file a robbery case at the police station.{{Cite news |date=8 October 2022 |title='We want justice' |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/news/bangladesh/crime-justice/news/we-want-justice-3137721 |access-date=8 October 2022 |work=The Daily Star (Bangladesh) |language=en}} They identified the torturers as Inspector Yasin Munshi, Inspector Kamal Hossain, Inspector Kamal Hossain and two unidentified officers.{{Cite news |last=Akash |first=Aklakur Rahman |date=7 October 2022 |title=Police torture victims of robbery |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/news/bangladesh/crime-justice/news/police-torture-victims-robbery-3136871 |access-date=8 October 2022 |work=The Daily Star (Bangladesh) |language=en}} Inspector Yasin Munshi had been involved in a 2011 extrajudicial police killing of a college student, Kazi Imtiaz Hossain Abir.{{Cite news |title=Abir's Extra-Judicial Killing: Police In Paradox By William Gomes |url=https://www.countercurrents.org/gomes150211.htm |access-date=8 October 2022 |work=}}
Notable cases
- The Detective Branch investigated the Murder of Shazneen Tasnim Rahman.{{cite news |title=SC upholds death sentence of Shahid for Shazneen murder |url=http://en.prothom-alo.com/bangladesh/news/141257/SC-upholds-death-sentence-of-Shahid-for-Shazneen |work=Prothom Alo |access-date=6 March 2017 |archive-date=5 March 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170305141942/http://en.prothom-alo.com/bangladesh/news/141257/SC-upholds-death-sentence-of-Shahid-for-Shazneen |url-status=dead}}{{cite news |url=https://www.tbsnews.net/bangladesh/murder-case-filed-against-transcom-group-ceo-simeen-rahman-her-son-younger-sister |title=Transcom case turns worse as Shahzreh accuses Simeen of 'killing' brother |work=The Business Standard |date=23 March 2024}}
- The branch was given the investigation of the murder of Avijit Roy.{{cite news |title=Police delay chargesheet for arresting 'five assailants' of writer-blogger Avijit Roy |url=http://bdnews24.com/bangladesh/2017/02/26/police-delay-chargesheet-for-arresting-five-assailants-of-writer-blogger-avijit-roy |work=bdnews24.com |access-date=7 March 2017}}
- The branch was given the task to investigate the Murder of Sagar Sarowar and Meherun Runi, after Bangladesh Police failed to solve. The case was transferred to Rapid Action Battalion after the Detective Branch expressed inability to solve the crime.{{cite news |title=Sagar-Runi killing: Journalists to launch tough movement |url=http://www.dhakatribune.com/bangladesh/crime/2017/02/11/sagar-runi-killing-journalists-launch-tough-movement/ |work=Dhaka Tribune |access-date=7 March 2017 |date=11 February 2017}}{{cite news |url=https://www.tbsnews.net/bangladesh/crime/48-hours-50-years-never-ending-sagar-runi-murder-mystery-790978 |title=From 48 hours to '50 years': The never-ending Sagar-Runi murder mystery |work=The Business Standard |date=11 February 2024}}
References
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External links
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{{Bangladesh intelligence agencies}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:Police units of Bangladesh