A late freedom fighter and local political leader has been formally accused in a police case over violent protests and crude bomb explosions near the Padma Bridge toll plaza—more than seven months after his death.
The deceased, Samchu Dhali, passed away on 29 March. Yet, his name appears at number 219 on the First Information Report (FIR) filed in connection with unrest that occurred on the night of 9 November. A resident of Dhalikandi in Kutubpur Union under Shibchar upazila of Madaripur district, Dhali was the son of Ismail Dhali. He was recognised as a valiant freedom fighter for his role in the 1971 Liberation War and had served as the acting president of the Kutubpur Union unit of the Awami League.
According to the case statement, activists of the Awami League—whose political activities are currently banned—along with members of its affiliated organisations staged a blockade near the southern toll plaza of the Padma Bridge in the Naodoba area of Zajira around 1:00 am on 9 November. Armed with sticks, poles, and oars, the demonstrators occupied the highway, vandalised several vehicles, and detonated multiple crude bombs, locally known as cocktails. The unrest halted toll collection for nearly an hour, leaving hundreds of vehicles stranded on both sides of the bridge and disrupting a vital transport corridor connecting south-western Bangladesh to the capital.
Three days later, on the morning of 12 November, Sub-Inspector (SI) Akram of Padma Bridge South Police Station filed a case under the Anti-Terrorism Act. The charge sheet names 251 individuals and accuses an additional 600 to 700 unidentified persons.
The inclusion of a deceased man has raised serious questions about police verification procedures and the credibility of mass-accused political cases in the country. Critics and legal observers have questioned whether law enforcement officials conducted any basic background checks before compiling the list of suspects. On social media, the blunder has sparked widespread ridicule, with users satirically remarking that the late leader had risen from his grave to attend a party demonstration.
Dhali’s son, Nazmul Dhali, expressed shock over the development. “My father died on 29 March, yet he has been accused in a case months later. This is utterly astonishing,” he said. While maintaining that his family supports bringing genuine offenders to justice, he demanded an immediate investigation and the formal removal of his father’s name from the FIR.
When contacted, the plaintiff, SI Akram, distanced himself from the compilation of the suspect list. “I am the plaintiff in name only. The names of the accused were handed to me,” he said, noting that Dhali hailed from Shibchar and was entirely unknown to him personally. “The names came from there. You can understand how these lists are put together.”
Md Abdus Salam, Officer-in-Charge of Padma Bridge South Police Station, acknowledged the possibility of clerical errors given the sheer volume of suspects. He assured that if the ongoing investigation confirms a name was included erroneously or lacks factual basis, appropriate steps will be taken to drop the individual from the charges.
