Interpol has informed Bangladesh Police that Maulana Tajuddin, one of the key accused in the August 21, 2004 grenade attack case, is now staying in South Africa.
Confirming the matter, Deputy Inspector General (DIG-Operation) of Police Chowdhury Abdullah Al Mamun told The New Nation that Interpol this (Tuesday) morning sent us an email informing that Maulana Tajuddin is now in South Africa.
“Initiatives would be taken to bring him (Tajul) back soon,” he added.
Tajuuddin, who is one of the 19-chargesheeted fugitive accused out of 52 in the cases, in connection with the August 21, 2004
gruesome grenade attacks on an Awami League rally at Bangabandhu Avenue in the city. He is also a top leader of the banned Islamist outfit Jamaatul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB).
Maulana Tajuddin is brother of the detained former deputy minister of the BNP government Abdus Salam Pintu, who is also a chargesheeted accused in the August 21 grenade attack case.
Former minister and Jamaat-e-Islami Secretary General Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mojaheed, former state minister for home Lutfozzaman Babar, ex-deputy minister Abdus Salam Pintu and Harkatul Jihad chief Mufti Abdul Hannan are in jails, former inspector generals of police (IGPs) Ashraful Huda, Shahudul Haque and Khoda Baksh Chowdhury, ex-SP Ruhul Amin of CID, former ASPs of CID Atiqur Rahman and Abdur Rashid were chargesheeted in the case.
Of the 19 fugitive accused, Tarique Rahman is now staying in London and Harris Chowdhury in Asam of India. Among others, Shah Mofazzal Hossain Kaikobad is living in Bangkok, owner of Hanif Enterprise Mohammad Hanif is in Kolkata, Maj Gen (retd) ATM Amin in America, Lt Col (retd) Saiful Islam Joarder in Canada, Babu alias Ratul Babu in India, Anisul Morsalin and his brother Mohibul Muttakin in an Indian jail, intelligence sources said.
Militant leaders Shafikur Rahman, Mufti Abdul Hai, Maulana Abu Bakar, Iqbal, Khalilur Rahman, Jahangir Alam alias Badar and Maulana Liton alias Zobair alias Delwar, the then deputy commissioner (east) and deputy commissioner (south) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Md Obaidur Rahman and Khan Syed Hasan are also staying abroad, the sources said.
