A retired Bangladesh Supreme Court judge, A H M Shamsuddin Chowdhury Manik, was apprehended by Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) troops on August 22 while attempting to cross into India through the Sylhet border.
The incident took a deadly turn when a Bangladeshi facilitator, Saddam, who was allegedly involved in assisting Manik's crossing, was later found dead, suspected to have been lynched by a mob.
Intelligence sources have identified Saddam as the son of Rafiqul Islam from Donachera village under Kanaighat police station in Sylhet district.
His body was discovered approximately 400 meters from the international border, close to Border Pillar Number 1334, near the Indian border outpost (BOP) of Dona in Tura, Meghalaya.
The exact circumstances of Saddam’s death remain unclear, but officials from at least one Indian security agency believe that a lynch mob might have killed him after the judge's arrest.
According to the sources, Saddam had been paid a significant amount of money by Manik, reportedly around Taka 40 lakh, to facilitate his illegal crossing into India.
However, it appears that Saddam deceived the judge, leading him into a trap set by the BGB troops.
"It now seems Saddam betrayed the judge to the BGB troops who then took the latter into custody," said an Indian security agency official, adding that there is no conclusive evidence to suggest BGB troops were involved in Saddam’s death.
Following his arrest, Manik was handed over to the Bangladesh police, where he allegedly suffered severe injuries, including grievous harm to his private parts, during his time in custody. He is currently receiving treatment at a hospital.
Manik, who had grown a beard and disguised himself as a common man in worn-out clothing, is known for his outspoken nature and close ties to the former Awami League leadership.
His recent remarks, where he labelled a Bangladesh TV news presenter as a "razakar" (a term used for collaborators with the Pakistani army during the 1971 Liberation War), sparked public outrage, possibly contributing to the circumstances leading to his flight and subsequent arrest.
In a related incident, a day after Manik's arrest, former Bangladesh Chhatra League General Secretary, Ishaq Ali Khan Panna, died under mysterious circumstances while climbing the hills in Shillong, Meghalaya.
Initial reports suggested he suffered a cardiac arrest, but Bangladeshi media speculated that he may have been shot by Indian security forces.
Panna, a resident of Pirojpur district in Bangladesh, was reportedly accompanied by the Awami League's Relief and Social Welfare Secretary, Aminul Islam Amin, when the duo crossed into Indian territory. Amin’s mobile and WhatsApp numbers have since been deactivated.
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