Narayanganj City Corporation Mayor Selina Hayat Ivy yesterday said the “godfathers of Narayanganj” were behind the murders of seven people.
“They were directly and indirectly involved in the seven murders,” she said.
Asked who the godfathers were, Ivy gave a vague reply: “The whole country knows who these godfathers of Narayanganj are. There is no need to mention their names here. They are still there and the people of Narayanganj are not in peace.”
Ivy Rahman demanded that the main accused Nur Hossain be brought back from India immediately and questioned.
She made the remarks while addressing a media briefing after giving a deposition before the seven-member official probe body.
On May 6, in line with a High Court directive, the Public Administration Ministry formed the probe committee.
Ivy said: “The committee asked me about Nur Hossain and slain Nazrul Islam as they were councillors of Narayanganj City Corporation. I told them how much I knew about them.”
Hinting at the phone conversation between Nur Hossain and Narayanganj MP Shamim Osman, Ivy said: “Nur Hossain should be brought back for questioning about all these.”
When reminded that her political arch rival Shamim Osman had said her relatives were involved with the murders, the mayor said; “Bring us to the trial process...I have no objection...
But, you will have to prove it first... I think the probe committee has already got the message about who are behind the killings.”
The committee interrogated Ivy for about an hour and a half at the secretariat office of probe committee chief Shahjahan Ali Molla, also an additional secretary. Asked whether the mayor had given any crucial information, Shahjahan said: “We have told you everything we can.”
When asked whether the committee would go to India to interrogate Nur Hossain, he said: “Wait and see. You will be informed if we go.”
Mollah also said: “We have also summoned Narayanganj MP Shamim Osman to give his statement before the probe committee. He is expected to attend the interrogation at 11.30am tomorrow [Tuesday].”
Apart from Mollah, the committee comprises of three other officials from the Public Administration ministry, two from the Home Ministry and two from the Law Ministry.
Earlier, the probe body interrogated former deputy commissioner of Narayanganj Monoj Kanti Boral and Superintendent of Police Nurul Islam in connection with the case. Sources in the committee said the investigation was almost over and they hoped to submit report to the High Court by the end of next month.
On April 27, Narayanganj panel mayor Nazrul Islam, three of his associates and chauffeur, and district court practitioner Chandan Kumar Sarker and his chauffeur were abducted from the Fatullah area in the city.
Three days later, the bodies of the six people was found floating in Shitalakkhya River, while another body was recovered the next day.
On June 6, Lt Commander (retd) MM Rana, a former RAB 11 official from the Navy who lost his job after the seven murders, revealed in his confessional statement that the crime had been committed following instructions from a high official of the force named Zia.
Rana confessed to his involvement in the killings. Two other former RAB 11 officials Lt Col (retd) Tarek Sayeed Mohammad and Major (retd) Arif Hossain, also confessed to their involvement in the killings. The seven-member probe body also interrogated Additional Director General of RAB Ziaul Ahsan in connection with the murders.
