Staff Correspondent:

A commander of Kishoreganj’s Bhairab Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) camp has been removed from his duty over the death of a woman under his custody on Thursday night.

The deceased was identified as Suraiya Khatun, 45, of Nandail upazila in Mymensingh district. She was accused in a case filed over torturing and killing of his daughter-in-law.

The RAB Headquarters sent the withdrawn letter to the camp company commander Fahim Foysal on Sunday and ordered that the order will be effective from Monday.

According to the deceased family members, Suraiya Khatun, her son Taijul Islam, and husband Azizul Islam were going to Nandail Police Station from their home Chandipasha area on Friday evening responding to a call from police, but RAB detained them just when they were entering the Nandail Police Station.

However, SI Najmul Islam, who is investigating the case against Suraiya’s family, claimed that police did not make any phone call and that the RAB team detained them from their village.

The next morning, she was brought dead to Bhairab Upazila Health Complex, according to Health and Family Planning Officer Bulbul Ahmed.

Azizul and Suraiya’s brother-in-law Abdul Awal said she was in good health and could not have died of natural causes. Both of them alleged that the mother of four died due to torture.

Suraiya’s husband Azizul said, “My wife died due to torture. I will file a case. I want justice for this murder.”

Major Ashraful Kabir, commander of Rab-14 in Bhairab, said the hot weather was partly to blame.

“Suraiya fell sick from the excessive heat at the Bhairab camp. She probably died of a heart attack,” he added.

Suraiya and Taijul, 27, were accused of torturing and killing Taijul’s wife Rekha Akter over dowry.

According to the case filed against Suraiya, Taijul and Rekha were married two years ago. Suraiya and the other family members often abused Rekha who died of torture by her in-laws on April 26.

Rekha’s mother filed the case on May 2.

Abdul Quader, a former member of Chandipasha Union Parishad, said, “Azizul’s family members are gentle people. They make a living by selling goods by the road. As far as I know, they are not involved in any criminal activities.”

Commander Arafat Islam, Director (legal and media) at RAB headquarters, said the cause of death will be investigated.

“Rab will follow the legal procedure. Besides, the actual cause will be detected through medical examination,” he added.