At least 21 police personnel, including the in-charge of Baharchhara police outpost, have been suspended in connection with the killing of a retired Bangladesh Army officer, Deputy Inspector General, Chattogram Range, Khandaker Golam Faruq said on Sunday.

Retired Army officer Sinha Md Rashed was killed in alleged police firing on Marine Drive road in Teknaf on Friday night.

Superintendent of Police A.B.M. Masud Hossain on Saturday said that two people were arrested and two separate cases were lodged in this case.

Meanwhile, the three-member probe committee constituted by the Bangladesh Home Ministry has been asked to submit a report in the next seven days. Cox's Bazar's Additional District Magistrate Shajahan Ali has been made the convener of the committee.

Rashed was allegedly killed by Police Sub-Inspector Liaqat at a check post at Shaplapur along the Cox's Bazar-Teknaf Marine Drive road, when he was returning after a documentary film shoot.

Police claimed that they have found Yaba and hemp pills in Rashed's car. Besides, local and foreign-made liquor was found in his hotel room.

As per intelligence reports, the officer took voluntary retirement from the Bangladesh Army in 2018. Since his retirement, he has been making various kinds of documentaries for a Youtube channel called "Just Go."

It was stated in the preliminary report that he was making a travel documentary for the YouTube channel. He took three students of the Department of Film and Media of a private university of Dhaka with him.

They went to different mountainous areas of Teknaf in Cox's Bazar district for the shooting on July 3. Following a month of shooting, Rashed was returning by car to Cox's Bazar with a student accompanying him.

They were stopped at Shamlapur BGB Checkpost but allowed to go when BGB personnel confirmed their identities.

But, when they reached Shamlapur Police Checkpost at about 9 p.m., Liaqat stopped their car. When Rashed identified himself, SI Liaqat asked him to leave, but then allegedly fired at Rashed thrice, leading to his death.

Student Sifat, who was accompanying Rashed, was detained and taken to the Baharchhara Information Centre.
(IANS)