Staff Reporter :
Law enforcers have detained at least six persons, including Joint-Convener of the Sunamganj District Krishok League and the attacker’s parents, in connection with the attack on noted writer Professor Mohammed Zafar Iqbal in Sylhet on Saturday.
A team of police picked up attacker Fayzur’s father Atikul Islam and mother Minara Begum from Madina Market area in the Sylhet city around 10:30pm Sunday, said Muhammad Abdul Wahab, Additional Deputy Commissioner (Media) of Sylhet Metropolitan.
The Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) members also arrested two uncles of the attacker. They are Abdul Kader, paternal uncle of Fayzur Rahman, from Kalierkapon area in Derai upazila of Sunamganj while attacker’s maternal uncle Mokhlesur Rahman was picked up from Sheikhpara area of Sylhet city on Saturday night for questioning, said our local correspondent quoting police.
Earlier, a joint-team of RAB and Police also detained Abul Kahar Luloi, a Joint-Convener of the Sunamganj District Krishok League, said RAB-9 Sunamganj Captain Lieutenant Commander Foysal Ahmed. The detectives intensified watch on the participants of the concluding ceremony when Professor Iqbal was attacked by a youth, said a senior leader of Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) of the university.
Seeking anonymity, a student of the SUST, alleged that carrying out the attack was impossible without the help BCL men.
He also claimed that the attacker might have taken the shelter during the attack as his dress was dirty and in poor condition. Normally BCL leaders did not allow such youth in the high profile program.
“Villagers were not very close to Fayzur and his family,” said the Jagdal Union AL chairman, Mizanur Rahman.
Another neighbour of the attacker seeking anonymity said that a vested quarter of the ruling party might have influenced Fayzur to attack Zafar Iqbal centering their prior enmity over different controversial statements.
“Fauzur usually doesn’t mix much with other people,” a villager, Mojahed Ali told The New Nation.
“We have talked to some local people. They said, in their family only Fayzur believes in salafism. That is why the family members are not happy with him,” said the additional police super, Mohammad Habibullah.
Lt Col Ali Haider Azad Ahmed, CO of RAB-9), claimed that attacker Faizur confessed to the law enforcers that he attacked Dr Zafar as ‘he is an enemy of Islam’.
Meanwhile, Inspector General of Police (IGP) Mohammad Javed Patwary on Monday vowed to bring the assailant and perpetrators behind the attack on Prof Muhammed Zafar Iqbal to justice.
“Whoever is behind the attack, we will unearth them and bring them before justice,” said the police chief, speaking at a programme at Jagannath University on Monday.
“Zafar Iqbal is our family member. His father was a police officer. I condemn the attack on him and wish him a speedy recovery. We have arrested the assailant with the help of people and students,” he said.
Imran Khan, General Secretary of BCL SUST unit, told The New Nation on Monday, ” BNP is trying to tarnish the image of the glorious activities of the campus.”
The SUST secretary claimed that that law enforcers intensified watch on the campus to identify the culprits.
