Another 17 people gave statements before the government’s probe body yesterday, the fourth day of public hearings, held at the Narayanganj Circuit House.
On the other hand, 36 organisations submitted a joint written deposition to the probe committee through their representatives.
The probe committee headed by Md Shahjahan Ali Mollah, additional secretary of the Public Administration Ministry, took the depositions from 3pm to 5:30pm.
After giving deposition, AB Siddique, president of Narayanganj District Citizens’ Committee, said the town had turned into a place of horror because of several incidents of murder and abduction.
“We need to put an end to this situation. We feel that the investigation into the seven murders should be done with the highest priority,” he told the Dhaka Tribune.
Shahina Islam Mukti, daughter of former lawmaker Sirajul Islam, said the local administration and the law enforcement agencies had failed to control the hoodlums as they were corrupt too. “Otherwise such brutal and planned killings could not take place.”
Without mentioning a name, she blamed a lawmaker, who has been controlling everything in Narayanganj for years, for the seven murders.
Two bearers and three security guards of Rifles Club also gave depositions before the committee during the mass hearing. However, they did not speak to the media.
At the end of the mass hearing, a 36-member team of different financial and cultural organisations led by Senior Vice-President of Narayanganj Chamber of Commerce Manzurul Haque went to the Circuit House and submitted a written statement to the committee.
Manzurul urged the probe body to quiz the officials of the local administration and the law enforcement agencies who have recently been withdrawn and transferred.
After recording all the depositions, the committee chief told reporters: “The process of mass hearing is not over. We will continue it. We will also talk with some selected people.”
The team earlier held hearings on May 12, 15 and 17.
Eyewitnesses testify before police
Meanwhile, the businessman and his daughter who claimed that they had witnessed the abduction incident gave statements before the Narayanganj police under section 161.
Mizanur Rahman Khan Ripon, brother of slain Moniruzzaman Swapan, told the Dhaka Tribune that businessman Md Shahidul Islam Khoka gave deposition on Saturday afternoon and his daughter Rabeya Akhter around 2pm yesterday at the police superintendent’s office.
Before going to the SP office, Shahidul on Saturday testified before the government’s probe committee at the rest house of Shiddhirganj Power Station. The Dhaka Tribune ran a report on his deposition yesterday.
He said some seven RAB members with arms and another man in plain clothes having a pistol had been pulling out people from two private cars near the garbage dumping station on Dhaka-Narayanganj Link Road on April 27.
Shahidul stopped at the site and asked a RAB man about the happenings. But he was rebuked for the act and asked to leave the spot. He, however, failed to notice the nameplate of the RAB member.
