Beleaguered Disaster Management and Relief Minister Mofazzal Hossain Chowdhury Maya skipped the regular weekly cabinet meeting on Monday.
According to official sources, the minister, who was at home, did not inform the Cabinet Division that he would not attend the cabinet meeting.
Maya, also an Awami League MP, is now under pressure as reports in different media alleged that his family members were involved in the sensational Narayanganj seven murders.
Maya’s son-in-law former Lt Col Tarek Sayeed Mahmud was removed from his post as the chief of the Narayanganj RAB unit after seven people were abducted on April 27 last. Later, he was sent on a forced retirement along with his two junior colleagues-Maj Arif Hossain and Lt Commander SM Masud Rana.
Allegations are there that Tarek was involved in the gruesome seven-murder incident that sent a wave of shock across the country.
The RAB officials are now under surveillance of the intelligence as then High Court ordered their arrest.
Besides, some media reported that Maya’s son Dipu Chowdhury was also involved in the killings.
Meanwhile, the minister in a statement on Friday claimed that no one of his family members was involved in the killing in any way, drawing further criticisms by people both inside and outside the government.
“Different media reports involving my family members with the incident have seriously hurt me and disgraced my family,” Maya said in his statement.
The minister also called upon all to refrain from making reckless and baseless remarks over the murder so that the real culprits cannot escape.
Narayanganj city panel mayor Nazrul Islam, his three associates, driver, senior lawyer Chandan Kumar Sarker and his driver were killed three days after their abduction in Narayanganj on April 27.
On May 4, Nazrul’s father-in-law Shahidul Islam alleged that RAB members abducted Nazrul from near Shibu Market and killed him in exchange for Tk 6 crore.
Shahidul also alleged that a son of a powerful minister (Maya), on behalf of Narayanganj Ward-4 councillor Nur Hossain, brokered the deal with RAB personnel, to kill Nazrul.
Nur Hossain was made the prime accused in the case filed in connection with the murders.
Later, the three RAB officials- Commanding Officer of Rab-11 Lt Col Tareque Sayeed Mohammad, Maj Arif Hossain and Lt Commander SM Masud Rana- were dismissed for their alleged involvement in the abduction and killing of the seven people.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Sunday discussed with State Minister for Home Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal the High Court directive to arrest the three RAB officials, and asked him to do everything in this connection as per the law of the land.
