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Murder of Major Sinha Mohammed Rashed Khan

SOLVED2018Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh4 SOURCESUPDATED JUL 2026
Illustrative

Major Sinha Mohammed Rashed Khan, a retired Bangladesh Army officer who had also served on deputation with the Special Security Forces before voluntarily retiring in 2018, was killed on 31 July 2020 in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh. He had travelled to the area to make a documentary and was staying at Neelima Resort, accompanied by film and media students Shahedul Islam Sifat, Shipra Debnath, and Tahsin Rifat Nur from Stamford University Bangladesh.

On the night of 31 July 2020, Khan was driving with Sifat on Marine Drive road when they were stopped at the Shamlapur Police Check post by Inspector Liaqat Ali at around 9 pm. Khan was shot eight times by Inspector Ali and taken to Cox's Bazar Sadar Hospital, where he was declared dead. Police initially claimed Khan had pointed a gun at them, but a witness at the scene said Khan had raised his hands in the air when he was shot. A leaked recording captured Inspector Pradeep Kumar Das informing a superintendent of police that an army major had been killed in an "encounter."

Following Khan's death, Sifat and Debnath were detained; Rifat was released to his family. Police filed murder and narcotics cases against Sifat and a narcotics case against Debnath. Both were represented by rights organization Ain o Salish Kendra. The Rapid Action Battalion later described the three cases as baseless, and a court acquitted Sifat and Debnath in December 2020.

A government investigation team was formed on 2 August 2020 and took witness statements in mid-August before submitting a report in September that was leaked to media. Khan's sister, Sharmin Shahriar Ferdous, filed a murder case on 5 August 2020, leading to the arrest of six accused the following day. Amid public pressure, the local superintendent of police was transferred, and roughly 1,500 police personnel were transferred out of Cox's Bazar District.

In December 2020, the Rapid Action Battalion filed charges against 15 individuals, including Inspectors Pradeep Kumar Das and Liaqat Ali, other police personnel, and three civilians. Investigators alleged Khan had uncovered evidence of Das's involvement in the Yaba drug trade while filming his documentary, and that Das had warned him to leave the area. During the trial, journalist Faridul Mostafa Khan testified that Das had previously assaulted him and filed false cases against him over reporting on Das's alleged drug-trade links. Testimony during the 2021 trial identified Ali as the shooter, with Das reportedly confirming the killing afterward.

On 31 January 2022, the Cox's Bazar court delivered its verdict: Das and Ali were sentenced to death, six other accused received life imprisonment, and seven were acquitted.

Key facts

Victims
Major Sinha Mohammed Rashed Khan
Date
2018
Location
Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh
Case status
solved

Case timeline

  1. 2018

    Khan voluntarily retired from the Bangladesh Army.

  2. 2020-07-31

    Khan was shot eight times by Inspector Liaqat Ali at a police checkpoint on Marine Drive road, Cox's Bazar, and later declared dead at Cox's Bazar Sadar Hospital.

  3. 2020-08-01

    Ramu Police filed a case against Shipra Debnath after alcohol was allegedly recovered from her room.

  4. 2020-08-02

    The Public Security Division of the Ministry of Home Affairs formed a four-member investigation team.

  5. 2020-08-05

    Khan's sister, Sharmin Shahriar Ferdous, filed a murder case with the court.

  6. 2020-08-06

    Six accused were taken into custody.

  7. 2020-08-12

    The investigation team took witness statements at Shamlapur Rohingya camp.

  8. 2020-09

    The probe committee's report, originally due 6 September 2020, was submitted a day later and leaked to media.

  9. 2020-09-16

    Superintendent of Police ABM Masud Hossain was transferred to Rajshahi District, followed by the transfer of about 1,500 police personnel out of Cox's Bazar District.

  10. 2020-12-13

    Charges were pressed against 15 individuals by the Rapid Action Battalion investigating officer.

  11. 2021-06-24

    Constable Sagar Deb surrendered before the court after ten months on the run.

  12. 2021-06-27

    The Cox's Bazar District and Sessions Judge's Court placed charges against 15 accused, including 12 police officers.

  13. 2021-08-24

    Sharmin Shahriar Ferdous testified, alleging Khan was killed by Inspector Liaqat Ali on the instructions of Inspector Pradeep Kumar Das.

  14. 2021-12-02

    The court concluded hearing prosecution witness statements and scheduled defense witness testimony for 6–8 December.

  15. 2022-01-31

    The court delivered its verdict: Das and Ali sentenced to death, six others to life imprisonment, and seven acquitted.

Best coverage

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People

  • Pradeep Kumar Das

    CONVICTED

    Officer in charge of Tekhnaf Police Station; convicted and sentenced to death for the killing.

  • Shipra Debnath

    CHARGED

    Media student detained after Khan's death; charged after police alleged alcohol was recovered from her room.

  • Liaqat Ali

    CONVICTED

    Inspector who shot Khan; convicted and sentenced to death.

  • Shahedul Islam Sifat

    CHARGED

    Film student who accompanied Khan; charged with Khan's murder and narcotics possession.

  • Major Sinha Mohammed Rashed Khan

    VICTIM

    Retired Bangladesh Army Major shot and killed at a police checkpoint on 31 July 2020.

Roles reflect public records and court outcomes at the time of writing — supporting citations are on file under Sources.

Places

Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh

21.0642, 92.1470

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Common questions

What happened to the victim?
Retired Bangladesh Army Major Sinha Mohammed Rashed Khan was shot dead by police at a checkpoint in Cox's Bazar on 31 July 2020. A court later convicted two police inspectors and sentenced them to death, with six others given life imprisonment and seven acquitted.
Where did the murder happen?
Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh.
Who was convicted?
Pradeep Kumar Das (Officer in charge of Tekhnaf Police Station; convicted and sentenced to death for the killing.) and Liaqat Ali (Inspector who shot Khan; convicted and sentenced to death.).
What is the current status of the case?
Status: solved.
More cases in Bangladesh

Sources

  1. PRESSSinha murder case timelineThe Daily Star · 2026-07-11
  2. ENCYCLOPEDICMurder of Major Sinha Mohammed Rashed KhanWikipedia · 2026-07-10
  3. PRESSMajor Sinha's death and the culture of excessive forcethedailystar.net · 2026-07-10
  4. PRESSMass transfer does not reflect rule of lawen.prothomalo.com · 2026-07-10