Khulshi OC transferred hours after Ctg mayor questions his role over ‘Bihari Boga’ arrest attempt

The Chattogram Metropolitan Police transferred Khulshi Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Mohammad Abdur Rahim to its Special Branch (CTSB) yesterday (7 October), hours after Chattogram City Corporation Mayor Shahadat Hossain questioned his role in police attempt to arrest listed accused Waqil Hossain, better known as Bihari Boga.

The transfer came through an order signed by CMP Commissioner Hasan Shaukat Ali, CMP Additional Police Commissioner (Administration and Finance) Wahidul Haque Chowdhury confirmed.

The order said the transfer would take immediate effect “in the public interest”, but did not mention anything else.

On 27 August, Rahim took charge of Khulshi Police Station. The same order also reshuffled the OCs of the city’s Akbarshah and Chawkbazar police stations.

According to the order, Chawkbazar Police Station Inspector (Investigation) Nazer Hossain was made OC of Akbarshah Police Station. Akbarshah OC Kamruzzaman was transferred to Khulshi Police Station, while Rahim was transferred to CTSB.

Earlier in the day, the Chattogram City Corporation mayor questioned Rahim’s role in connection with the recent police attempt to arrest Boga at the city corporation building.

The mayor alleged that Rahim had served as the OC of Bakalia Police Station during the Awami League government. He questioned how an officer who served as the OC of an important police station during that period could now be serving as the OC of Khulshi Police Station.

Shahadat also claimed that no Awami League, Chhatra League or Jubo League leader had been arrested since Rahim took charge of Khulshi Police Station.

The mayor had also denied allegations that he obstructed police attempts to arrest Boga at the city corporation building on the night of 6 October and helped him leave the premises in his car.

“If any journalist can prove that Waqil got into my car and left the city corporation, I will quit politics,” he told reporters this afternoon.

Police, however, said they had no specific information that Boga was inside the city corporation building. They said they had tried to arrest him based on information about his movements in the area.

Shahadat also said that if a wanted accused is outside the city corporation, it is the police’s responsibility to arrest him.

Police said they had been conducting raids to arrest Boga. As they had no specific information about his presence inside the city corporation building, there was no opportunity to arrest him there, they said.

Rahim’s response to the mayor’s allegations was not immediately available.

According to police, Waqil Hossain alias Bihari Boga is a listed accused in the Khulshi area. He faces 23 cases with Khulshi Police Station involving allegations of arms, explosives, and extortion.