Sagar Biswas :
When several young men are reportedly missing raising fresh apprehension of terror attack, the recent statements of five alleged HuJi operatives in a Chittagong court have raised doubt over the anti-militant drives of the law enforcement agencies.
The arrested youths told the court on Monday that they were picked up by plain-clothed men about six months to one year back in the name of security officials. They were kept in the small rooms- like lock-ups – during their confinement. They had to shift one place to another with their hands tied and eyes blindfolded, they informed the court.
Earlier on December 8 [Thursday], RAB claimed that they arrested five members of Harkat-ul-Jihad al Islami [HuJi] Bangladesh raiding a ‘militant den’ at Colonel Haat area in Chittagong. Of them, two suspected HuJi members were nabbed from AK Khan area, and based on the information three others were caught from Mukim Talukdar Para at Akbar Shah area along with huge quantity of firearms and ammunitions.
The arrested persons were Mawlana Tajul Islam of Faridpur, Nazimuddin of Jessore, Abu Zar Giffary of Jhenaidah, Nur-e-Alam Islam of Nilphamary and Sheikh Iftisham Ahmed of Rangpur. RAB claimed that they were planning to loot armoury and snatch way jailed militant leaders.
But quoting the court statements of HuJi men, the media recently reported that they were brought to RAB-7 headquarters boarding a microbus on November 29 and later they were taken to a house at north Kattoli on December 8. The arms-ammunition and bombs were kept there earlier. The accused have termed the anti-militant operation of RAB as “pre-planned drama” and demanded justice from the court. There were about thirty lawyers in the court in favour of the state but none stood for the accused.
Commanding officer of RAB-7 [which conducts operation in Chittagong] Lieutenant Colonel Miftah Uddin Ahmed, however, refrained from making any comment about the matter despite repeated attempts on Thursday evening.
On the other hand, Director of Legal and Media Wing [RAB Headquarters] Commander Mufti Mahmud Khan categorically denied the allegations of HuJi men that were stated in the Chittagong court against the elite force.
Rather, countering the militants’ statements, he said: “How does one believe in a criminal’s statement? The criminals usually give false statements in the court those are often proved false…We [RAB] have issued statement over the raid [on December 8]. If there is anything else, it will be clear after investigation.”
It is still not proved by the court that the arrested persons were “criminals”. Not only that, the statement of RAB spokesman also contradicts with the statements of accused family members. The family members of the accused persons mentioning date, time and place have claimed that the ‘alleged militants’ were picked up several months back.
Now it’s a vital question, why the family members would raise allegation against law enforcement agencies in the same voices? Has the RAB anything to say about this?
In several incidents, the law enforcement agencies failed to clear their stance. And in many cases, the officials and members were found involved in some gruesome crimes, including contract killings. Here, the seven-murder in Narayganj would be an example.
In fact, the allegations of murder, torture, forced disappearance, arbitrary imprisonment, persecution, abduction, crossfire and other brutal acts, against the law enforcement agencies, especially RAB, are nothing new in this country.
Chairman of National Human Rights Commission Kazi Reazul Haque against this backdrop told the media that the law enforcement agencies should not be involved in the unlawful activities when youths are apparently missing to join militant activities.
Still seven youths, out of nine, are missing from Dhaka, Pabna, Rangpur and Barisal. Two youth were found in Barisal and Rangpur a few days ago. But the security forces do not know whether the rest have left for abroad, or staying inside the country.
