The body buried under the name Mahmudur Rahman after 3 years is that of BNP leader Harish Chowdhury

The body buried under the name Mahmudur Rahman in 2021 in Savar, near Dhaka, is that of BNP leader Harish Chowdhury. And the DNA of his daughter Samira Tanjin Chowdhury has been found. After presenting such a report, the High Court has allowed Harish Chowdhury to be buried in the graveyard as per his last wish.

A High Court bench comprising Justice Fahmida Quader and Justice Mubina Asaf granted the petition in this regard on Wednesday. Harish Chowdhury was the BNP Chairperson and former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia's political secretary. Earlier, the High Court had issued the order along with a rule on September 5 after the initial hearing of a writ petition filed by Harish Chowdhury's daughter Samira Tanjin Chowdhury.

The High Court ordered that the body of Harish Chowdhury, who was buried under the name 'Mahmudur Rahman' in a madrasa grave in Savar, be exhumed for DNA testing.

As per the instructions, the body buried in Savar in 2021 under the name of 'Mahmudur Rahman' was exhumed from the grave on October 16. The body was exhumed by members of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the police. A DNA sample was collected to confirm the identity of Harish Chowdhury. The DNA test report came back positive, and Harish Chowdhury's real identity was confirmed. The writ petition prayed that the remains of Harish Chowdhury in the Savar madrasa premises should be taken out for DNA testing to determine his real identity. According to his last wish, he should be buried at his home with the honors due to a brave freedom fighter.

In the previous sequence, the matter came up in court today. Lawyer Mahdeen Chowdhury heard on behalf of the writ petitioner. Deputy Attorney General Shafiqur Rahman and Assistant Attorney General Md. Icha were on behalf of the state. Later, lawyer Mahdeen Chowdhury told Prothom Alo that the DNA matched with Harish Chowdhury's daughter. That is, the person buried under the name of Mahmudur Rahman is Harish Chowdhury. The body is now in the Dhaka Medical College morgue. The court has allowed him to be buried with due respect as a brave freedom fighter and with the consent of his family. Assistant Attorney General Md. Icha told More News that DNA has been found.

According to the lawyer of the writ petitioner, Harish Chowdhury was in hiding to escape the wrath of the then government. Later, he lived in Dhaka city under the identity of Mahmudur Rahman. He remained in Dhaka city until his death. On September 3, 2021, he died at Evercare Hospital in the capital after contracting COVID-19. But under pressure from the law enforcement agencies of the then government, his death was covered up and he was forcibly buried in a madrasa premises in Savar, near Dhaka. At that time, the government did not issue a death certificate according to his real identity. It did not give him the respect he deserved as a brave freedom fighter.