Police attempt to arrest missing BNP leader; SI withdrawn

Sajedul Islam Sumon, former general secretary of BNP’s Dhaka Metropolitan Ward-38 (currently Ward-25), has been missing for nearly 12 years after allegedly being picked up by individuals identifying themselves as members of law enforcement. Recently, police from Tejgaon Police Station visited his home in Tejgaon, Dhaka, in an attempt to arrest him—triggering widespread criticism.

Following the incident, Sub-Inspector (SI) Md Akram Hossain, who led the police team, was withdrawn from duty.

According to the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP), the team members involved were unaware that the house belonged to a BNP leader who has been missing for over a decade. The confusion reportedly arose because the team members had only recently joined the DMP and were not informed about Sumon's disappearance.

Deputy Commissioner (DC) of the DMP’s Media and Public Relations Division, Muhammad Talebur Rahman, provided these details on Friday (May 9).

He stated that a team from Tejgaon Police Station, led by SI Md Akram Hossain, went to the Shahinbagh area under Tejgaon jurisdiction on Thursday to execute a pending arrest warrant. In the process, they visited the home of the missing BNP leader.

"All members of the team had recently joined the DMP and were unaware that this was Sumon’s residence. The incident occurred due to a lack of prior knowledge," said DC Talebur Rahman.

He added that SI Akram Hossain has been withdrawn from duty, and the DMP sincerely regrets the incident. "The DMP expresses its sympathy to all victims of repressive actions and enforced disappearances under the fascist regime, and assures their families of full security and support," he said.

Meanwhile, Sumon's sister, Sanjida Islam Tuli, who has long been campaigning for her brother’s return through a platform named Mayer Dak (A Mother’s Call), expressed disbelief. She questioned how, even after all these years, police could return with an arrest warrant for someone allegedly abducted under the Sheikh Hasina government’s targeted disappearances.