“Terrorist” Mobarak Hossain, alias “throat-slitter Mobarak,” was hiding with a weapon in a false ceiling of his house. Police were outside the door. As police officers tried to enter the room, Mobarak began firing, discharging six rounds in succession. Police returned fire. At one point during the operation, police urged Mobarak to surrender to save his life. In response, Mobarak said he wanted assurance of his own safety before giving himself up.
Police carried out the operation to capture “terrorist” Mobarak in the Shahnagar area of Lelang union, Fatikchhari, Chattogram, last Wednesday. A video of the conversation between Mobarak and police officers during the operation has since spread on social media.
In the video, one police officer can be heard telling Mobarak: “If you want to save your life, drop the weapon. Surrender to us. We’ll save your life. We’ve received information that someone outside is waiting to kill you. We’ve come to save you.”
Mobarak responded: “There’ll be a problem if I hand over the weapon.” The officer said again: “Mobarak, we’ve come for your own good. Surrender. There’s no way for you to survive otherwise. We’ve come to save you. Drop the weapon, don’t waste time. There’s no other way out of here. Police don’t kill anyone anymore.”
Mobarak still said: “I won’t drop the weapon.” An officer at the scene then said: “No one will kill you if you hand over the weapon. Why would we kill you? This is the OC speaking — hand over the weapon.” Mobarak then told the officers to move back.
In response, the officers said: “No, we won’t leave. Mobarak, give up the weapon. Drop it. Come downstairs, come down first.” At one point, Mobarak said: “Swear to me you won’t do anything to me.”
The officers reassured him: “We won’t do anything. I swear to God, we won’t do anything. Hand the weapon to this elderly man [an elderly person present in the house], you won’t have anything to worry about. Give the weapon to the elderly man.” One of the officers then said: “We have Chinese rifles, SMGs — everything with us. Mobarak, Imon [David Imon] has been arrested. You’re not a bigger criminal than Imon.”
Mobarak replied: “Sir, I’ll say something in a moment, sir. One request… swear to me, you won’t do anything to me.” An officer said again: “I already swore. I swear to God, we won’t do anything. We won’t do anything. Drop the weapon. I swear to God, we won’t do anything. Nothing will happen to you.”
Mobarak was then heard saying: “Thank you, thank you, that’s good.” The officer then turned to the elderly man in the house and said: “Sir, please bring the weapon. Sir, take the weapon.”
Mobarak faces charges in Chattogram city for murder, extortion and other offenses. Police say he is a close associate of Sajjad Ali, alias “Boro Sajjad,” a top Chattogram criminal currently a fugitive abroad.
Three of Mobarak’s associates were arrested along with him. Three pistols, 23 rounds of pistol ammunition and four shotgun shells were recovered from them. The operation to arrest Mobarak was led by Chattogram district police Additional Superintendent of Police Kazi Mohammad Tarek Aziz. He said Mobarak began firing at police officers during the operation, injuring five police officers, including himself. Mobarak was eventually brought down from the false ceiling and arrested.