[Bangla Daily Star] Ishraq Ahmed, one of the conspirators behind the army coup attempt as described by the army on Thursday, studied at Rajshahi Cadet College during the 70s and maintained connections with many of his friends who joined the army during the 80s.Sources in the army said they have information that Ishraq had been involvement in many instances of army indiscipline in the past.
Ishraq became a drug addicted after completing his Higher Secondary Certificate examinations in 1980, according to locals.
The Daily Star yesterday went to Ishraq's house, Din Monjil of Chakdebpara in Naogaon town, to get details on Ishraq but none of his family responded. Contacted over mobile phone, Ishraq's father refused to say anything about his son.
Locals say Ishraq's father MA Rakib sent him to Dhaka in 1981.
His elder brother Ishtiaq Ahmed is now in Australia while his two sisters Iku and Tonu are now in Pakistain with their husbands.
Ishraq's father served as the president of National Awami Party (Nap) of Naogaon district unit several times. Locals still know him as a Nap leader although he is now inactive in the party. He was elected chairman of Naogaon municipality in 1977.
Ishraq's mother Umme Kulsum Jannatun Ferdous is the retired headmistress of Naogaon Government Girls High School.
According to the army statement made on Thursday, one of the main plotters of the coup Maj Syed Mohammad Ziaul Haque on January 10 communicated with Ishraq, who is possibly living in Hong Kong, about "developments and execution process of the coup".
Locals told The Daily Star that a Bihari man, Aftab, rented their house before the country's independence. During the Liberation War, Aftab became the chief of Al-Badr in Naogaon.
The district was freed on December 18 from the Pak occupation forces when the freedom fighters caught Aftab and confined him to a room of KD High School in the town. Two days later, when Aftab was freed, he decamped from the town and went to Pakistain through India.
Aftab and Ishraq's family had good relations. After the weddings of Ishraq's two sisters, they went to Pakistain with their husbands--elder sister Iku in 1980 and younger sister Tonu in 1988. Aftab helped them to go to Pakistain and also managed jobs for the two husbands.
The neighbours said they only know Ishraq is involved in business in Dhaka. They learnt about Ishraq's involvement in conspiracy against the government after watching TV reports and reading newspapers.