Officer named in murder made Feni SP
A senior police officer facing allegations linked to enforced disappearance and murder cases has been appointed Superintendent of Police (SP) of Feni district, triggering widespread criticism and concern among rights activists and political circles.
Mohammad Mahbub Alam Khan, currently serving as a deputy commissioner of the Chattogram Metropolitan Police (CMP), was transferred to Feni under a Home Ministry reshuffle involving 12 districts on May 5.
His appointment has drawn strong objections because he is a named accused in several criminal cases, including allegations of enforced disappearance, extrajudicial killings and extortion.
On May 6, victim Setaur Rahman, a former joint convener of Chapainawabganj District Chhatra Dal, submitted a written complaint to the Prime Minister’s Office demanding cancellation of the posting and legal action against the officer.
Mahbub Alam Khan, a member of the 27th BCS Police cadre, previously served for several years in Chapainawabganj, where multiple allegations of enforced disappearance and custodial abuse emerged against him during the tenure of the previous Awami League government.
According to the complaint and related case documents,
Setaur Rahman alleged that his family became a target of law enforcement due to his political activities.
He claimed that on August 17, 2016, his brother Mizanur Rahman was picked up from their home by individuals led by then Additional SP Mahbub Alam Khan and members of Shibganj Police Station.
The complaint states that Mizanur was first taken to Shibganj Police Station before being moved elsewhere.
The family alleged that officers later demanded Tk20 lakh in exchange for his release. Setaur claimed that, after selling assets and receiving help from BNP leaders, the family managed to pay Tk9 lakh to police officials, including Mahbub Alam Khan and SI Gazi Moazzem Hossain.
Despite the payment, Mizanur was not released, the complaint alleges. Instead, further pressure was allegedly exerted on the family to pay the remaining money.
The family also alleged that Setaur’s younger brother, Rezaul Karim, then a student at Rajshahi University, was abducted from Rajshahi city on December 27, 2016, after demanding the return of the money. He remains missing.
According to an FIR filed later by the family, Mizanur Rahman was killed in an alleged gunfight with police on April 27, 2017, in Chapainawabganj.
His father, Ainal Haq, filed a murder case at Shibganj Police Station on September 13, 2024, where Mahbub Alam Khan was listed as accused number 10.
Another murder case was filed on October 20, 2024, by one Firoz Ahmed, in which the officer was named as accused number three.
Victims’ families and rights campaigners allege that at least 22 people were subjected to enforced disappearance, killing or severe torture during Mahbub Alam Khan’s posting in Chapainawabganj.
The complaint submitted to the Prime Minister’s Office includes names of individuals allegedly killed after being detained, including Matiur Rahman, Salauddin, Abu, Jamshed, Sujon, Khairul, Tareq, Fahad Rahman Raja, A Khalek, Rabiul Islam and Bagha.
Others, including Mofiz Rahman, Abdur Rahim, Wakhilur Rahman and Ariful, were allegedly picked up and never seen again.
The complaint further alleges that several detainees, including Md Obaydul Islam, Md Kamruzzaman, Md Hafizur Rahman Pipul and Sumaiya, suffered severe torture in custody and were left permanently disabled.
Following the political transition after August 5, 2024, several families filed cases and complaints with the Enforced Disappearance Commission and the International Crimes Tribunal.
Prosecutors from both bodies reportedly visited Chapainawabganj earlier this year as part of ongoing investigations.
Police sources at Shibganj Police Station confirmed that several accused in the murder cases had already been arrested, while efforts were underway to detain the remaining suspects.
Human rights activists and legal experts have questioned how an officer facing such serious allegations could be appointed to lead the police force in an important district.
Advocate Zia Habib Ahsan, a human rights lawyer, said appointing an officer accused in disappearance and murder cases to such a sensitive post raises serious concerns about accountability and the rule of law.
The allegations against Mahbub Alam Khan also include claims that he used excessive force during anti-government protests in July 2024, leading to additional murder cases being filed against him after the fall of the previous government.
Victim Setaur Rahman said: “He disappeared my two brothers, demanded Tk20 lakh, took Tk9 lakh and never returned them. Seeing him rewarded with another important posting feels like justice is still out of reach.”
However, Mahbub Alam Khan denied all allegations when contacted.
He said he had already been discharged from one murder case and claimed he was undergoing training during the incident mentioned in the other case filed by Ainal Haq.
“The allegations of enforced disappearance and taking Tk20 lakh are completely baseless,” he said, adding that his posting had been made through proper procedures.
