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| Bangladesh |
| Fresh probe yet to start; CID awaits ministry step |
| 2009-05-05 |
| [Bangla Daily Star] An official move to reinvestigate the deadly attack on an Udichi programme in Jessore is yet to be made, although detained militant linchpin Mufti Abdul Hannan admitted Harkatul Jihad al Islami's (Huji) involvement in it. Officials in Criminal Investigation Department (CID) say they have written to the law ministry a couple of days ago seeking steps to obtain a court order for fresh investigation. Ten people were killed and over 100 injured in that grisly attack on March 6, 1999. "We're already unofficially carrying out investigation into the mayhem and waiting for the court permission," says a top CID official asking not to be identified. CID ASP in Jessore Abdul Quyyum Sikder told The Daily Star yesterday they have started collecting witnesses' accounts and already shown Hannan arrested in the case. The CID sources add they need court permission for fresh investigation as the Jessore Special Court acquitted all the accused in the two cases on June 28, 2006. Huji operations commander Mufti Hannan in his confessional statement also revealed he and 14 Huji men were involved in plotting and executing the Udichi blasts. On March 7, 1999, the then sub-inspector Abdul Aziz filed two cases -- one under Section 302 of Bangladesh Penal Code for murder and another under the Explosive Substances Act -- with Jessore Kotwali Police Station without naming anyone. After investigation, the then ASP of Jessore CID Dulal Uddin Akand pressed charges on December 14, 1999 against 24 people including BNP leader and former minister Tariqul Islam. Tariqul was exempted from the charges by the Supreme Court on August 12, 2003 after hearing of his leave-to-appeal petition, while the rest 23 were acquitted in the verdict by the Jessore court. The judge while delivering the verdict made his observation that stern action must be taken against the investigation officer for submitting a motivated and weak charge sheet devoid of evidence required for punishment of the accused. Jessore District Udichi General Secretary Shaheeduzzaman said CID has already talked to them as part of their fresh initiative to reinvestigate the case. Asked to comment about acquittal of all accused, he said, "We want detection and punishment of those who were really involved." HANNAN'S STATEMENT ON UDICHI BLAST The Huji leader said they chalked out the plan for the attack at their Mohammadpur office in 1999. Among others, Abdur Rouf (Madaripur), Hafez Jahangir Badar (Dohar), Yahia (Sylhet), Abu Bakar (Sylhet), and Maolana Sabbir (Bogra) were present at the meeting. The meeting decided to stop the "naked musical performances" of Udichi even if it were to take a huge effort and conveyed the decision to the organisation's Amir Mufti Shafiqur Rahman. They said they had learned from the media that Udichi was going to arrange about a month-long programme in Jessore. Informed of the decision at Mugda office, Shafiqur directed Maolana Abu Bakar, Abu Musa and Sabbir to visit the area and report to him. After the team returned from the field inspection, he assigned Sabbir and Musa to make some bombs and use those at the venue of Udichi programme. Following a call from Rouf, Hannan went to Jessore on March 5 and stayed at Khurshidia Madrasa. Later, Musa along with Rouf and Sabbir went there and informed Hannan that the bombs were kept at madrasa teacher Samsul Haq's house. For planting the bombs, they brought Abdullah, aged about 17, from Chittagong and Waliur, 20, from Jessore. The two did their parts on orders of Rouf. The bombs went off between 12:30pm and 1:00pm, killing 10 people and injuring over 100. Hannan said he returned to Magura after handing the bombs over to Rouf, Waliur and Abdullah. |
| Posted by:Fred |