The description of the corpse bathers or mortician is being taken into consideration during the investigation and trial process of several murder cases of the anti-discrimination movement. The statements of the bathers are now given value, especially in cases where dead bodies were buried without post-mortem. In other words, the most important witnesses as an alternative to autopsy are the 'corpse bathers'.
According to the sources, the Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI) has already exhumed most of the bodies without autopsy in their charge and completed due legal process. The investigators have accepted the statement of those who bathed the body. Apart from PBI, CID, Dhaka Metropolitan Police and various district police are also continuing their activities.
Those concerned said that the autopsy is an crucial part in the investigation and trial process of any type of murder. But many of the martyrs of the anti-discrimination movement were buried without autopsy. There is some complication in the proper investigation and trial process of those murder cases due to this. The court ordered to exhume the bodies of 114 people from the Rayerbazar Graveyard this month and investigate the cause of their death. In the meantime, most of the dead bodies have been exhumed and proper procedures have been followed. But the desired results of autopsy are not available in most of the cases due to long ago burial. Therefore, the concerned authorities have decided to give importance to the statements of at least two people who bathed the body or the description of the body injuries as an alternative. As a result, those bathers will be considered as important witnesses in the murder cases.
We contacted with the PBI headquarters on Tuesday to find out about this. "A total of 46 cases (GR) of the murder cases of the anti-apartheid movement came to the PBI. Of these, 34 bodies were not autopsied. However, in recent times most of the bodies have been exhumed and the legal process including autopsy has been completed. Since the burial took place a long time ago (about a year), many signs are no longer available. Therefore, the statement of those who were associated with bathing the body has been accepted," Abu Yusuf, Superintendent of Police, media wing of PBI told the Khaborer Kagoj.
According to the sources of the police headquarters, a total of 1 thousand 730 cases were filed in various police stations across the country in cases related to the anti-discrimination movement. Among them, the number of murder cases is 731. Most of these cases are on the supervision of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP).
According to the sources of DMP headquarters, a total of 715 cases were registered in various incidents of anti-discrimination movement in police stations of the capital. Among them, 446 murder cases. These cases are being investigated by the crime department of DMP and various units.
Apart from this, the PBI headquarters said that they have hundreds of CR (complaint register) cases under investigation in various sections including killings in anti-discrimination movement. CR cases are through courts. The number of murder cases (CR) is 25.On the other hand, the number of GR (General Register) cases i.e. those filed directly at the police station is 64. Of these, 46 murder cases (GR) are being investigated by the PBI.
Several senior police officers told the Khaborer Kagoj that the autopsy report plays a major role in the investigation and judicial process of the case. The actual cause of death or how the person died is known, especially through autopsy. Postmortem report of these bodies should be prepared. Apart from this, necessary measures can be taken to hand over the bodies to their families after confirming the identity of the deceased through DNA profiling after legal proceedings.
"Collection and preservation of body evidence is very important to get proper results of autopsy or DNA test. Generally, if the body or body structure of the body is correct, then the correct result of the autopsy is obtained," said Assistant Professor Dr. Deepika Roy of Dhaka Medical College Hospital, Department of Forensic Medicine.
"The autopsy report is usually a very important chapter in the trial process of any murder case. However, it is also important that the trial of the murder case is held in which court. If it is a simple murder case or a Sessions Judge court case, then the post mortem report becomes very essential. But if the case is in a special court or is of a special nature, then judicial work can be done without autopsy. Especially if the body is thrown into the sea, disappeared, burnt or the accused has confessed to the murder, then in these cases the trial can be completed without an autopsy," Ishrat Hasan, lawyer of Supreme Court told the Khaborer Kagoj in this context.
As an example, Advocate Ishrat Hasan said that the July-August genocide trial is going on in the International Criminal Tribunal at present. Earlier, this International Crimes Tribunal tried crimes against humanity during the liberation war of 1971. There was not much evidence, let alone an autopsy. But still judgments are made, based largely on circumstantial evidence, photographs or videos, and witness testimony. As a result, the post-mortem report is very important, but the trial can be carried out without it, there is no bar in the law in this regard.
Incidentally, the court exhumed the bodies of 114 people killed in the anti-discrimination movement on August 4 and ordered an inquiry into the cause of their deaths, who were given mass graves at Rayerbazar Graveyard in Dhaka. Dhaka Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Mohammad Mostafizur Rahman gave this order in view of the police application.
