Investigators of two different bomb blast cases in 2001 claimed to have made significant progress 12 years after the incidents, but are yet to wrap up the investigations into the blasts at CPB rally at Paltan in Dhaka and at Baniarchar Catholic Church in Gopalganj.
All the blasts were carried out in 2001 in which 15 people were killed and many others were injured. Four cases – two for murder and two under explosive act – were lodged in connection with the bomb blasts with the respective police stations, reports BSS.
The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of police was given the charge to investigate the cases.
Harkat-ul-Jihad leaders Mufti Abdul Hannan, Morsalin and his brother Muttakin were found involved in all of the three blasts. Of them, Hannan is in Bangladesh jail while the brothers are in an Indian jail.
CID officials dealing with the cases said they are taking time to make flawless charge sheets and collect evidence to probe the charges so none can avoid punishment.
The officials said they need more time though they claimed to have already identified the criminals involved in the misdeeds and the motive of the attacks.
On January 21 in 2001, five people were killed and 50 others injured in a blast at a rally of the Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB) at Paltan Maidan.
“It will take more time to submit charge sheet in the case. It won’t be wise to place the investigation report before completion of the investigation,” Officer Mrinal Kanti Saha, an inspector of the CID, said on Saturday refusing to give deadline for submitting the charge sheet.
Two suspected leaders of Pakistan-based Islamist outfit Laskar-e-Taiyaba (LeT) -- Maulana Mansur Ali and Mufti Obaidullah -- and BNP’s former ward commissioner Arifur Rahman Arif were also interrogated in the case.
Asked about the involvement of the LeT leaders and the BNP leader in the blast, Mrinal said, “None was out of suspicion.”
Police had arrested 12 people but charges could not be pressed against them due to lack of evidence.
On June 3 in 2001, at least 10 people were killed and many others injured in a bomb blast at the Catholic Church at Baniarchar in Gopalganj district.
“It will take more time to submit flawless charge sheets in the cases – one for murder and another under explosive act,” Investigation Officer of Baniarchar Catholic Church blast CID Inspector Sheikh Akhteruzzaman said earlier.
Evidence of involvement against 14 Harkatul Jihad men has so far been found, he said adding, Morsalin and his brother Muttakin of those 14 are now in Indian jail.
Police have so far arrested 18 accused in the murder case. Of them, 13 are now in different jails while five others are on bail.
