Trackback URL
Download PDF The sensational August 21 grenade blast case seems to be going nowhere as the investigators wait for the fugitive criminals, accused of assassination attempt on Awami League (AL) President Sheikh Hasina, to return from India of their own accord where the government believes they have holed up.
An in absence of the field level operators of the attack, the masterminds and motives behind the mayhem remain veiled in mystery.
The investigators appear to be counting on the criminals to get back willingly and help them prepare a charge sheet in the case filed for the ghastly attack that left 23 people killed and scores of others injured two years ago.
The government, meanwhile, has yet to take any initiative to bring home the prime accused on the run including Khandakar Tanveer Islam Joy and Mokbul Hossain alias Mukul.
It admits that it will not be possible to bring to book the culprits before the ruling coalition’s term ends.
“The main culprit is holed up in India. He may return during the caretaker government period,” State Minister for Home Affairs Lutfozzaman Babar told The Daily Star, referring to top terror Joy.
On criticism of the government for hyping up the confessional statement of one Joz Mia, he said: “We are trying to arrest one or two more accused. If we can do so, their confessional statements will add to the credibility and we’ll be able to submit the charge sheet.”
He then claimed success in the investigation. “There had been a significant progress in the case, but lately it has been stuck, delaying a charge sheet against the accused,” he told The Daily Star Tuesday.
Interestingly, he made similar comments only a year ago.
Though almost two years have passed since the grisly attack that rattled the entire nation, the intelligence officials have not yet found a vital clue to identities of the attackers let alone bring them to trial.
But chief investigator of the case, Senior ASP of Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Munshi Atiqur Rahman said the case is already ‘dug out and proved ‘.
In a report submitted to the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) in May, the government claimed to have made significant progress in the investigation, saying that 20 people had been arrested in connection with the attack.
But it did not mention that 17 of them had already been released, as the allegation against them had no merit.
Interestingly, the home ministry made the same claim before a parliamentary body about a year ago.
Of the 20, only three gave statements admitting involvement in the grenade attack. But those statements too appeared controversial.
The investigators in their forwarding letters to the court claimed that some of the arrestees had direct involvement in the blasts. But later they were released, as the allegations against them could not be proved.
So far the investigation has revolved around the confessional statement of Joz Mia, who was arrested at his village home in Birkot of Senbagh, Noakhali on June 10. He stands accused in five criminal cases.
The persons he named in his statement to be involved in the blast incident had left the country long ago.
Joy, Mukul, Mollah Masud, Robin, Shafiqul Islam, Jahidur Rahman and Jisan had been hiding in India long before the attack took place.
The government’s claims of progress are open to question as they are solely based on Joz Mia’s statement.
The government was ready to submit the charge sheet after the confessional statement, but later backtracked as questions arose about its credibility.
“Joz Mia’s story does not provide any coherent link to the incident as well as the motive,” said a retired police officer experienced in carrying out such investigations.
He described the statement as a very weakly woven story.
Munshi Atiqur Rahman, who is the fourth investigation officer of the case, said, “It’s a case of national significance and we’d better not submit a poor charge sheet.”
“The case is already dug out. We’re now waiting for three to four masterminds who have fled across the border,” he said when asked about the investigators’ achievement in last two years.
“We’ll inform you about it after capture of the other gang leaders,” he said in reply to queries on motive for the attack.
“We know who hurled the grenades from the eastern side of Bangabandhu Avenue. But members of the Mukul group that entered through Peer Yemeni Market and attacked from rooftop of a building are yet to be identified.
“We will be able to find out the motive if one of them is arrested,” he added.
According to sources, no major move was taken after FBI and Interpol members had left the country.
Munshi Atik, however, said the foreign investigators had expressed satisfaction that the investigation was on the right track.
A former high official of the police said, “It is ridiculous that police are sitting idle and waiting for the accused to return and surrender.”
The committee on human rights of parliamentarians of the Inter-Parliamentary Union, an organisation of the world parliamentarians, in a statement on July 14 expressed concern that the probe has not yet yielded any results.
It also reminded the state of its duty to identify and bring to justice those responsible for the criminal act.
Comments are not moderated and only expresses personal views of visitors. BangladeshNews.com.bd is not responsible for commets posted by visitors.
Leave a Reply