By Mamunur Rashid in The New Nation, Dhaka
Indian Insurgent group United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA) has temporary arms training camps in the middle of the country, said detained ULFA leader Ranjan Chowdhury @ Major Ranjan during an interrogation at the Task Force Cell. Major Ranjan told the interrogators that ULFA has temporary arms training camps at Jamalpur, Sherpur, Mymensingh, Netrokona and Kishoreganj. He imparts special training to ULFA activists, who come from Assam, on the use of firearms, grenades and various other activities. A group of 10/12 activists of ULFA receive arms training for eight to ten days at the borderline of India-Bangladesh. ULFA spends about Taka 4 to 5 lakh for training of the rebels. It also spends Taka 2 lakh for medical treatment of the ULFA activists in the country, said Major Ranjan during interrogation. He told interrogators that arms and ammunitions recovered from Borga and Haluaghat at Mymensingh were brought for the ULFA activists. The recovered arms from Borga was supposed to pass by Kurigram borders. The Law enforcement agencies recovered 99 thousand 969 rounds of bullet and 174 Kg explosives on July, 27, 2003 from Bogra. Ranjan further said he was arrested in Assam but set free after serving a jail term. He used to meet ULFA Commander-in-chief Paresh Barua and live most of the time in Jhenigati. He maintained constant contact with ULFA leaders in Bhutan and Nepal, including its military wing chief Paresh Barua. The Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), on July 17, arrested the reported ULFA leaders Ranjan Chowdhury and his associate Pradip Marak from the Lakhsmipur area of Bhairab in Kishoreganj with a number of weapons in their possession. Lt Col Ziaul Ahsan, Director of the intelligence wing of RAB told reporters that law enforcement agencies recovered two AK-47 rifles, 20-hand grenades, one grenade launcher, 348 mortars cell, and 31,500 bullets of AK-47 rifles, 12.7API, 60 Nine MM pistol, one optic side Vision and 5,970 rounds of bullet of pistol from Haluagaht in Mymensingh on June 29, 2006.The law enforcement agencies will interrogate Ranjan about recovered 29,000 rounds of bullet from village Babukura at Jhenigati of Sherepur on September on 13, 2007. ULFA General Secretary Anup Chetia is currently in a Bangladeshi prison. http://nation.ittefaq.com/issues/2010/07/25/news0395.htm
2.Bhagne Shaid on 4-day remand
A Dhaka court on Tuesday placed acting chief of banned militant outfit Jama’atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) Anwar Alam, also known as Nazmul and Bhagne Shahid, on a four-day remand in connection with a case filed following an attempt on Prof Humayun Azad’s life.
Metropolitan Magistrate SK Tofael Hasan passed the order after Criminal Investigation Department inspector Mustafizur Rahman, also the investigation officer of the case, produced him before it seeking a seven-day remand.
On February 27, 2004, assailants stabbed prominent writer Humayun Azad brutally with machetes in front of Bangla Academy when he was on his way back to his residence. http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/latest_news.php?nid=25119
3. 2 outlaws killed in Rajbari factional ‘gunfight’
Two regional leaders of the outlawed organisation Biplabi Communist Party (BCP) were killed in a factional ‘gunfight’ in Pangsha upazila of Rajbari early Tuesday.
The deceased were identified as Abdul Aziz, 38, and Dip Kumar Biswas, 30, of Kashba Majail area of the upazila. Aziz was accused in two murder cases, police said.
Rab sources said Aziz and Dip were the ringleaders of two different factions of the outlawed organisation and they had a longstanding dispute, reports our Kushtia correspondent.
A petrol team of the elite force heard the sounds of ‘gunfight’ in Bhatshala field area, the scene of the incident, at about 4:00am and they rushed to the spot but did not find anyone there, a Rab official told the correspondent seeking anonymity.
They did not found the body also, the Rab personnel claimed.
Officer-in-charge of Pangsha Police Station Munshi Mofazzal Hossain told The Daily Star that on information police recovered the bodies in the morning.
They also recovered two light guns, one shutter gun, three bullets and a machete, the OC added. http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/latest_news.php?nid=25118
3. CID gets 2 more months for Aug 21 probe
A Dhaka court on Tuesday granted two more months to the Criminal Investigation Department to complete the investigation into one of the two cases filed for the August 21 grenade attacks on an Awami League rally in 2004.
The case was filed under the Explosives Substance Act.
Judge (in-charge) Mohammad Ismail Hossain of the Metropolitan Sessions Judge’s Court, Dhaka passed the order following a petition filed by CID’s Senior Special Superintendent Abdul Kahar Akhand, also the investigation officer of the case, seeking four more months time to investigate the incident.
So far, the court gave the CID time extension of 12 months in four phases to complete the investigation into the case.
At least 23 people including Ivy Rahman were killed and scores injured in the bomb attacks on the Awami League rally at Bangabandhu Avenue on August 21 in 2004.http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/latest_news.php?nid=25116
4. 4 Jamaat leaders in war trial dock
They are no stranger to court. They stood in the dock before. But their appearance at the International Crimes Tribunal yesterday marks a watershed. For it was the first time the four top Jamaat-e-Islami leaders were in court as accused in the long-awaited war crimes trial.
Jamaat Ameer Motiur Rahman Nizami, Secretary General Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mojahid, Senior Assistant Secretaries General Mohammad Kamaruzzaman and Abdul Quader Molla were brought to the courtroom around 10:30am.
The tribunal allowed them to sit in chairs in the dock, which is unusual for someone facing trial.
The quartet was given chairs and fan in the lockup as well. They also had access to a well-furnished toilet.
During brief proceedings, the tribunal directed the prison authorities to keep them in custody until further orders in the first complaint case filed with it.
The war crimes prosecution filed the case on July 25 under the International Crimes Tribunal Act, and prayed for arrest warrants against the four.
In the case, they charged the Jamaat leaders with committing genocide and crimes against humanity and peace during the Liberation War in 1971.
Some 25 lawyers led by Zainul Abedin, BNP leader and former secretary of the Supreme Court Bar Association, were at the tribunal to defend the four.
Ghulam Arieff Tipoo led the seven-member prosecution panel.
In their first move, the defence prayed for withdrawal of the arrest warrants. They also sought certified copies of the prosecution’s complaint petition, all order sheets and relevant documents.
The three-member tribunal headed by Justice Nizanul Huq did not accept their applications, as proper procedure was not followed in the filing of those.
As per the court’s instructions, the defence later submitted the applications to Registrar Md Shahinur Islam. The tribunal will tomorrow set a date to hear the prayers.
www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=149226
