Hasinur opens up about Judge Miah, Aynaghar, and RAB operations

Former army officer Hasinur Rahman, who retired as a lieutenant colonel, has a tumultuous history marked by two disappearances. The first occurred in 2011, and the second on August 8, 2018, when he was missing for a year, six months, and 14 days. A decorated officer, Hasinur served in the Army, Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), and Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), earning distinctions such as Bir Protik, BPM, and Bangladesh Rifles for his bravery.
Now, Hasinur Rahman is seeking justice. He has applied to the Disappearance Commission formed by the interim government and filed a complaint with the International Crimes Tribunal. Additionally, he is preparing to file a case regarding his disappearance.
In a recent conversation with Jago News, Hasinur discussed the Judge Miah issue, his experiences with militant operations, his time in Aynaghar, and his tenure at RAB. The interview, conducted by senior reporter Tuhiduzzaman Tanmoy, spans two parts. Below is the second and final segment of the discussion.
Jago News: You claim the incident involving Judge Miah is true. How can you be so sure?
Hasinur Rahman: I swear it’s true. There were others involved, including Judge Miah, Mukul, Bakul, and Tanvir Islam Joy, who planned it. The grenade didn’t explode because our country’s terrorists or underworld criminals aren’t trained to handle grenades properly. They’re more accustomed to using firecrackers and crude bombs like cocktails.
In this case, some grenades were thrown with the pin already pulled, and others without even pulling the pin. Military officers undergo extensive training to properly throw grenades. It’s not just about throwing; there’s a specific angle, timing, and technique involved. For example, the grenade has to be thrown after holding it for four seconds for it to detonate properly.
Judge Miah and his accomplices didn’t understand this. They thought grenades worked like crude bombs and would explode on impact. That lack of knowledge is why their attack failed. Tanvir Islam Joy later admitted this to us.
Jago News: Did Judge Miah also throw a grenade on Bangabandhu Avenue?
Hasinur Rahman: Even after sending me to prison, they didn’t find peace. I was kept in a solitary confinement cell alongside top terrorists like Arman and Sohel, who had been caught when I was in RAB. The conspirators thought they could intimidate or harm me using these terrorists, but instead, I built good relationships with them.
In prison, Arman told me, "Judge Miah's incident is not a drama; it’s the truth." On August 21, 2004, Judge Miah also threw a grenade on Bangabandhu Avenue. Others involved included Tanvir Islam Joy, Mamun, Bakul, and Mufti Hannan. The first investigation officer of the case, CID SP Ruhul Amin, once told me in prison, "If you make Arman your friend and ask him about Judge Miah’s incident, you’ll uncover a lot." That’s how I learned about Judge Miah’s involvement.
Because of my growing rapport with the prisoners, the then-army officers Sheikh Mamun Khaled (former DGFI chief) and Tariq Siddiqui (Sheikh Hasina's security adviser) transferred me to the militant cell in prison.
During my time in RAB, I led several JMB operations. Once, during an anti-militancy raid, I shot Nabil, the son of Sheikh Abdur Rahman, the leader of JMB. This information reached the prison, and Nabil openly threatened me, saying, "I will kill you." However, I maintained good relations with other militant leaders like Engineer Salauddin and Mohammad. They told Nabil not to harm me and even assigned someone to serve me instead.
Despite this, Sheikh Mamun Khaled and Tariq Siddiqui denied me divisional benefits, even though the then-army chief Iqbal Karim Bhuiyan had approved them. When the terrorists and militants couldn’t harm me, I was sent to Kashimpur jail. After the elections, Iqbal Karim Bhuiyan facilitated my release, and I went home to live a quiet life.
The politicians in our country thrive on the existence of unemployment. They chant slogans in the name of the unemployed, but if there were no unemployment, who would rally for them? Reducing discrimination is the key. If discrimination decreases, extortion will cease, and the youth will find opportunities to work and earn a living.
Jago News: Do you have anything to say to the political parties?
Hasinur Rahman: Political parties in our country have started excessively flattering India. Why do we have to rely on India for everything? We should focus on self-reliance—living off what we have and surviving as we did before independence.
If money laundering is stopped, people from other countries will come to Bangladesh for work instead of us going abroad. Unfortunately, our politicians thrive on the existence of unemployment. They shout slogans in the name of the unemployed, but if unemployment didn’t exist, what would they campaign about?
Reducing discrimination is the key to fixing this. If discrimination decreases, there will be no extortion, and the youth will find opportunities to work and earn a decent living.
Jago News: You joined BNP. Do you intend to run for election?
Hasinur Rahman: I am not a politician; I am a military man. I live by honesty and believe in speaking the truth. I joined BNP because it is part of my lineage—my uncle was an MP. I joined the army inspired by Ziaur Rahman’s patriotism and love for the country. Khaleda Zia honored me with all three symbols—the Bir Pratik, BPM, and Rifle.
Despite my association with BNP, I never believed in active politics or running for elections. You can serve your country in many ways without being involved in politics or elections.
Jago News: How can the current law and order situation be improved?
Hasinur Rahman: In the 50 police station areas of Dhaka city, recruit 100 young men from each area without bribery, ensuring they are residents of those areas. These individuals will have no need to resort to bribery within their localities. This model should be replicated in Dhaka and across the country.
The government, however, does not seem interested in solving the problem. If you transfer a young man from Gopalganj to Dhaka, his salary won’t suffice for living expenses, and he’ll be disconnected from his community. Instead, keep the officer from Gopalganj in Gopalganj. His connections with the area—his teachers, his wife’s teachers, and even his child’s teachers—would ensure he remains accountable to the people. No innocent person would be tortured under his watch.
No father wishes for his son to be a bribe-taker. The police should serve the people and ensure no one suffers under their authority. Unfortunately, we are doing the opposite—constantly transferring officers from one place to another, creating a lack of accountability and empathy.
Jago News: There is talk of abolishing RAB. What do you think?
Hasinur Rahman: RAB is meant to be a servant of the people. Its focus should be on combating terror, but only against actual terrorists. Unfortunately, RAB has strayed from that purpose. Why would RAB kill people? By what authority? No one has granted them the right to take lives.
We already have enough laws in place. If someone needs to be detained, do it under the proper legal sections. Even if that person is a serious offender, there are lawful ways to address it.
The problem is rooted in our politicians' dishonesty. You won’t find a single terrorist in this country who isn’t backed by some politician. If politicians were honest, there would be no terrorists, and the need for RAB would cease to exist altogether.