In an unprecedented instance of
extrajudicial killing of eminent civilians by the state forces in Bangladesh,
Laxmipur branch Jamaat-e-Islami Nayeb-e-Amir, well known physician and
distinguished social personality Dr. Foyez Ahmed was brutally killed by members
of the paramilitary force RAB at his own home late night last Friday the 13th of
December.
Witnesses stated that on Friday night, a
RAB convoy of a group of people dressed as RAB came to his house in the town of
Laximpur near Temuhoni area. Deceased Dr Fayez’s wife Mrs Marzia Fayez said
that at about 11 pm at night, RAB forces were seen to arrive at their house and
quickly surrounded it. At 12 midnight, they smashed the gate of the building
and entered the house and searched all the rooms. At one point they arrested
Dr. Foyez and started beating him as they dragged him to the roof. There they
shot him several times and then threw him from the rooftop down to the ground.
In continuity of the barbaric incident, the RAB men picked him up into their
vehicle as they left.
Later, Dr. Joynal Abedin, the medical
officer on duty at the city hospital informed the media that at about 1:40 am
late into the night some unidentified people left a dead body at the hospital
morgue. The body showed signs of serious injuries and bullet wounds in the head
and in the legs. The body was identified as that of Dr.Foyez Ahmed.
At the end of post mortem, Dr. Foyez’s
body was handed over to his family and taken to the Lillah Jaame Masjid,
situated at North Temuhoni. There, a funeral prayer was held for the martyr. Prominent members of the civil society
have asked for justice and fiercely condemned the practice of extrajudicial
killing in practice by the incumbent government to wipe out its political
opponents.
A facebook post detailing an eyewitness account:
Except watching my father being murdered
viciously in hiding, there was nothing I could do.\
A group of 30-35 people took part in the
killing operation of Dr. Fayez. There were some RAB (Rapid Action Battalion)
personnel, but mostly were professional killers. Among them were also members
of Lakhipur’s wanted criminal Kashem Jihadi”s group. Their main target was
Belal (the son of Dr. Fayez). Belal was also at home. After they broke the main gate, Dr.
Fayez himself opened the inside door. He thought they came to arrest him. Belal
was then. Standing on the 3rd floor window. For about two hours, they tortured
Dr. Fayez for getting information. Later they took him in the roof, shot
him on head, and then threw his body from the roof. His hand was tied up
earlier. And Belal was hiding there, the whole time, even his father was shot
and thrown in fron of his eyes!
Dr. Foyez Ahmed was from a truly noble
and ideal family both in terms of profession and serving the Deen. He was 58
years old. A successful medical doctor and a widely respected figure in the
district, Dr. Foyez had been dedicated his whole life to the Islamic movement.
Proprietor of a successful and popular clinic and many other businesses, Dr.
Foyez was involved with numerous professional activities and social welfare
charities. As a person, he was widely popular for his friendly personality,
hospitality, jovial manner and kindness. He leaves behind a widely respected
family of well educated children. His wife is a senior leader of Jamat-e-Islami
and is well known as one of the founding members of the Chatri Sangstha, the largest
female student wing of the Islamic movement in Bangladesh.
