The father of disappearance victim held by police for 3hrs

A sub-inspector took a 71-year-old man to a police station in the capital allegedly at gunpoint because officers received an image on WhatsApp that showed the elderly man's photo on a BNP poster for the party's December 10 rally.

Jamsher Ali, father of a victim of enforced disappearance, said he was released from Mirpur Police Station near midnight on Saturday after three hours of interrogation.

Jamsher said policemen came in front of his house in Mirpur on five motorcycles around 9:00pm and Sub-Inspector Lutfor Rahman told him to go with them to the police station.

Jamsher replied that he was ill and would meet the OC in the morning.

"Brandishing two firearms, SI Lutfor said he would empty all the bullets if I didn't go with him," Jamsher told The Daily Star, adding that he then went to Mirpur Police Station.

"The OC asked me whether I am involved with the BNP. I replied that I was 71 years old. I am a supporter of the Awami League and I go to its rallies," he said.

"The OC then showed me an image where my passport size photo was photoshopped on to a BNP poster that included images of Khaleda Zia and Tarique Rahman. It said that I was the general secretary of the ward-7 BNP committee.

"I told him that someone must have attached my photo and my name there."

After the OC failed to find his name on the list of current and former local BNP committee members, he was released, he said.

Police later found that the image was doctored to include the face of Jamsher whose son Mohon Mia has been missing since he was picked up by men in plainclothes from his house four years ago.

SI Lutfor Rahman denied that he forcefully picked up Jamsher.

"Someone put his name in the BNP committee and made his poster for the December 10 rally on social media. So, the OC wanted him brought to the police station," the SI said as if it justified what Jamsher was subjected to.

Contacted, Mustazirur Rahman, officer-in-charge of Mirpur Police Station, said they got the picture along with his name on WhatsApp.

"After verifying, we found the claim is not true. So, we let him go," said the OC.

Four years ago, men in plainclothes picked up Mohon Mia from his Mirpur home. He never returned.

Jamsher, a trader, has long insisted he has proof that Rab-4 members took his son away.

Rab has denied the allegation.

Mohon is one of the enforced disappearance victims listed by the United Nations.