Where is DB Harun? | The Business Standard

He last garnered public attention following the detention of six coordinators of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement at his notorious “Bhater Hotel” within the Dhaka Metropolitan Police’s Detective Branch (DB) office.

While a High Court ruling characterising the practice of bringing individuals to the DB office and seating them at a dining table as a “mockery of the nation”, the students were held in DB custody for around a week.

Amid public outcry, the notorious former Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Additional Deputy Commissioner Harun or Rashid, widely known as DB Harun, was transferred from the Detective Branch to the Crime and Operations Department.

Like several senior police officials closely affiliated with the Hasina government, he has been absent from the public eye since the fall of the government due to the mass uprising on 5 August.

According to his family members, colleagues, he is neither at his own home nor at any of his relatives’ homes. He has been in hiding.

However, another source has reported that Harun is currently receiving treatment at a specialised hospital in the capital after being beaten by the public on 6 August.

What did he do on 5 August?

On the morning of 5 August, all senior officials, including Harun, assembled at the Central Command and Control Unit on Abdul Gani Road, across from the Secretariat in the capital.

From there, police on duty in the streets were instructed to use increased force based on the surveillance from hundreds of closed-circuit cameras throughout the city.

According to some policemen present that day, Harun appeared very confident and said that 5 August would mark the end of the students’ protests.

Even as thousands of protesters breached the barricades at Uttara and advanced towards Shaheed Minar, police were ordered to use force to stop them.

Harun reportedly contacted Uttara’s Deputy Commissioner of Police, instructing him to fire repeatedly to disperse the demonstrators, according to the police officials.

However, the Deputy Police Commissioner of Uttara division reportedly said that there were at least 25,000 people on the streets, making it impossible for a small number of officers to control the situation by shooting.

Despite this, senior police officials, including Harun, pressured the police to use force, officials present there at the time said.

Later, when the protesters advanced past Khilkhet towards Banani, orders were given for police APCs to open fire. However, officers in Banani and Gulshan reportedly refused to comply with these orders.

At around 2:30pm, as the crowd moved towards the Prime Minister’s Office from Jahangir Gate, orders to open fire were issued despite the chaotic situation. However, the responsible officers reportedly said that the situation was beyond control.

Meanwhile, when news spread that the Army Chief would give a speech at noon, Harun’s confidence grew.

He assured the subordinate officers at the Central Command and Control Unit on Abdul Gani Road that the army would take decisive action and restore order, telling them not to worry, police personnel present at the scene said.

They also reported that when the subordinate officers mentioned that the army would not use force, Harun became enraged.

Eventually, as the crowd breached the Gonobhaban, he was reportedly seen giving orders to the officers in the Gonobhaban Protection Division to take repeated action via walkie-talkie. However, no response came from the other end.

Meanwhile, the crowd continued to enter Ganabhaban.

Seeing this unfold on the closed-circuit camera, Harun slumped into a chair from his standing position. After that, he remained silent and motionless, officials present at the scene said.

Where did he go then?

As protesters began throwing bricks at the Central Command and Control Unit after spotting a large banner depicting Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the situation grew increasingly dire. Fearing for their safety, many police officers removed their uniforms.

According to sources, Harun and several other officials climbed over the 13-foot wall behind the building and fell onto the road in front of the police headquarters. Harun sustained serious injuries to his legs and lower body.

He later went to the police headquarters with the Inspector General of Police (IGP), as reported by sources.

Sources indicate that in the afternoon, as the situation began to stabilise, Harun managed to climb the wall of the Dhaka South City Corporation near the police headquarters. However, his exact whereabouts that night remain unconfirmed.

According to a police source, he sought refuge in an embassy or high commission in the diplomatic area.

In 2006, Harun’s wife received a US visa through the DV lottery. Harun attempted to escape to the USA using this visa and contacted the US Embassy, requesting assurance of safe transport to the airport.

According to diplomatic sources, the embassy rejected his request, and Harun subsequently returned. In the afternoon, a SWAT vehicle from the Counter Terrorism Unit transported him to an area near Mirpur.

Harun attempted to flee through the airport after arranging transport there. However, before he could enter the terminal, he was beaten by the crowd, who recognised him, the sources say.

With severe injuries, he was taken to a specialised hospital in the capital, where he remains under treatment according to the latest reports.

The rise of Harun

In July 2011, Harun became the centre of attention after physically assaulting the then opposition chief whip and BNP leader Zainul Abedin Faruk in front of Parliament.

He continued to attract public attention by detaining individuals, including opposition figures, in DB custody, feeding them rice, and recording videos of the incidents.

Harun also gained notoriety for holding multiple press briefings each day, staging photo sessions with showbiz stars, engaging in torture during custody, extorting money by threatening to release videos, and a range of other controversial activities.