Abu Sayed murder: Autopsy report altered for five times
Staff Reporter :
A forensic expert has told the International Crimes Tribunal that he was repeatedly pressured-and even offered foreign trips-to alter the autopsy report of Abu Sayed, the first student killed by police gunfire during last year’s anti-discrimination student movement.
Dr Rajibul Islam, Assistant Professor and Head of the Forensic Department at Rangpur Medical College, testified on Sunday (24 August) during the seventh day of hearings in the crimes against humanity case
against former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, and former inspector general of police Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun.
Abu Sayed, an English department student at Begum Rokeya University, was shot dead on 16 July 2024 during the quota reform protests.
Dr Rajibul told the tribunal that his initial autopsy clearly stated that pellet injuries had caused severe internal bleeding leading to death, and that the nature of the death was homicidal.
However, when the report was submitted to the investigating officer of Tajhat Police Station, it was rejected, and he was ordered to rewrite it. Even after resubmitting the report twice with minor changes, it was not accepted.
The doctor said he was then summoned to the vice-principal’s office at Rangpur Medical College, where senior police officials, intelligence officers, and Swachip leaders attempted to coerce him into declaring that Abu Sayed had died of a head injury rather than gunshot wounds.
“They threatened me with false cases, saying there were intelligence reports against me. Then they tried to tempt me with trips to Singapore or Thailand, and even offered to arrange a two-week holiday in Cox’s Bazar with my family,” Dr Rajibul testified.
He recalled telling the vice-principal: “The entire world saw on live television that Abu Sayed was shot dead. If I write that he died from a head injury, people everywhere will lose faith in the medical profession.”
Dr Rajibul further alleged that Swachip leader Dr Chandan told him: “The leader (Sheikh Hasina) is concerned. Just prepare the report as the police want-we will look after you.”
Despite repeated pressure, the doctor said he refused to falsify his findings. In his final report, while he refrained from using the term “gunshot,” he retained descriptions of pellet injuries and concluded that death was caused by shock and haemorrhage due to the antemortem injuries, which were homicidal in nature. That version was ultimately accepted.
Breaking down in tears during his testimony, Dr Rajibul submitted a pen drive to the tribunal containing a video interview he had given to Al Jazeera, which was played in court.
