The ‘beef up’ directive was a sequel to the outbreak of violence in Rajshahi University, Chittagong University and several other educational institutions that claimed two lives and injured over hundred students, the Independent reported on Feb 16.
Jamaat-e-Islami (JEI)
Siddik Hossain, Rajshahi University (RU) Syndicate Member and Principal of the local Islamia College was arrested (Feb 16) in connection with the killing of a student. Siddik is Assistant General Secretary of Rajshahi JEI. The slain student was a member of Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) affiliated to the ruling Awami League.
According to the police, leaders of JEI and its student wing, Islami Chhatra Shibir (ICS) planned the Rajshahi attacks at a meeting in Dhaka. The investigators have found that the arrested person and his accomplices made several mobile phone calls to four senior JEI leaders during the attack. Also, just before the attack, the perpetrators attended the public meeting JEI Amir Matiur Rahman Nizami addressed in Rajshahi on Feb 7. The attack on the campus took place two days later.
Mujib killers on the run
Of the twelve convicted Mujib killers, five, namely Sultan Shahriar Rashid, Syed Farooq Rahman, A K M Mohiuddin, Bazlul Huda and Mohiuddin Ahmed were hanged on Jan 28, 2010, after 34 long years since they had committed the heinous crime. One of their compatriots, Aziz Pasha, had overtaken the long arm of law as he had expired in Zimbabwe in 2001 while five are on the run.
Those on the run include Lt Col (retd) A M Rashed Chowdhury who has been spotted hiding in Los Angels. He is known to be desperately seeking political asylum in Canada. The Bangladesh Govt is encountering difficulties in bringing him back as there is no extradition treaty with the USA. The Govt is, however, hopeful that it will be possible to get him back, as earlier it had succeeded in bringing another Mujib killer namely Maj (retd) Mohiuddin from the USA. Mohiuddin was sent back to Bangladesh after his application seeking political asylum in that country was rejected by the US Administration.
Lt Col (retd) S H M B Noor Chowdhury, another self confessed Mujib killer has succeeded in obtaining political asylum in Canada after hiding in Germany for years.
Lt Col Khandkar Abdur Rashid is frequently changing his location and is generally found either in Pakistan or in Bengazi, Libya. His daughter Mehnaj Rashid who has been recently arrested in connection with attack on the life of Awami League MP and Prime Minister Sheik Hasina’s cousin Fazle Noor Taposh, confessed having met her father Khandkar Abdur Rashid in Pakistan recently.
Lt Col (retd) Shariful Haque Dalim, who has now set up a roaring business in Kenya, frequently visits Libya and Europe.
Capt (retd) Abdul Majed is known to be changing his location and shuttling from Bengazi in Libya to Pakistan.
Risaldar Moslemuddin, who was earlier hiding in India, has been recently spotted in Libya.
