Bangladesh News

Dreaded criminal Sanjidul Islam Emon told CID interrogators that Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Maulana Motiur Rahman Nizami had tried to influence former state minister for home affairs Lutfozzaman Babar to relieve Emon and his associate Shahadat of a murder charge.

Criminal Investigation Department (CID) is interrogating Emon, placed on an eight-day remand, who also admitted his involvement in the killing of former BNP lawmaker of Brahmanbaria Shahjahan Hawlader Sujon for a handsome amount from a businessman, sources said.

However, Nizami’s Press Secretary Khurshad Alam Khondokar denied that Nizami tried to convince Babar to relieve any person involved with murder.

CID sources said Emon also admitted to have killed two Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) personnel, including a Rab official, at a brick kiln at Aminbazar of Savar in March 3 last year.

The sources said Emon claimed to have good relations with Arafat Rahman Koko, younger son of former premier Khaleda Zia, but is yet to confess whether he received any help from Koko.

The CID sources said Emon admitted that he and his associate Shahadat killed Himel, a criminal of Mohammadpur, during the four-party alliance rule.

“After the killing, Shahadat’s father, a Jamaat leader of Dhanmondi unit, contacted Nizami urging him to convince Babar to relieve Emon and Shahadat of the murder charge,” CID sources said quoting Emon.

Later, a rivalry erupted between Emon and Shahadat centring the Himel murder case.

Shahadat was arrested and after his release from jail in 2006, Emon’s cadres gunned him down in Dhanmondi area, sources said.

Nizami’s Press Secretary Khurshad Alam Khondokar told The Daily Star over telephone that they do not have any information regarding Shahadat’s or his father’s involvement with Jamaat-e-Islami.

He denied that Nizami tried to convince Babar to relieve any person involved with murder and this question should not arise as it is contrary to Jamaat’s ideology and policy.

In the face of intense interrogation of CID officials, Emon said two Rab personnel were killed at a brick kiln in Aminbazar as per the plan drawn up by him and another criminal Jisan to avenge the “killings of their gang members in crossfire”, sources said.

Sources in the CID said Emon admitted that he and Jisan formed a killing squad with the members of his gang and Jisan’s gang and had Deputy Assistant Director Humayun Kabir and Constable Ful Mian of Rab killed at the brick kiln.

“The CID did not inform me about this. When we are informed we will definitely look into it,” Director General of Rab Hassan Mahmood Khandkar told The Daily Star yesterday when asked about his response to the alleged confession of Emon.

Quoting Emon, CID sources said two of his cohorts–Tapu and Rajib–were killed in crossfire with Rab after arrest. At the same time a number of Jisan’s associates were also killed in crossfire.

Emon said Jisan made the blueprint and sought his help and finally they formed the killing squad with three of his gang members, Dakat Abul, Killer Kamal and Michael Titu and around five to seven others from Jisan’s gang.

He said his gang members managed to escape Rab arrest after the killings.