JMB patrons sued in Rajshahi

Thursday, April 30, 2009

A torture victim of Islamist militants filed a case against about 70 people including two former BNP ministers and a lawmaker yesterday with the Rajshahi court in Bagmara upazila in 2004.

The accused include former post and telecommunication minister Aminul Haque, former deputy minister Ruhul Kuddus Talukhdar Dulu and former BNP lawmaker Nadim Mostafa.

Abed Ali, an UP member of Mirjapur village, lodged the complaint against them for abetting militants who maimed him as he denied paying them extortion.

They have already been accused in several cases for abetting Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) led by Bangla Bhai. Aminul has been on the run since he was sentenced 31-and-a-half years in jail.

After the case was lodged, the third court of judicial magistrate in Rajshahi ordered police in Bagmara to investigate it and take legal actions, said Babul Hossain, lawyer of the complainant.

Other accused include Rajshahi district BNP General Secretary Shish Mohammad, Union Council Chairmen Rofikul Islam of Bihanali, Besaratullah of Basupara union, JMB advisers Abdus Sattar and Lutfar Rahman, JMB's killing squad member Mostafijur Rahman Mostak.

The complainant said he delayed filing the case, as he was scared of the political and financial clout of the accused.

He alleged JMB militants unleashed a reign of terror by killing and torturing people in the name of eliminating underground operatives at Bagmara and its adjoining areas in 2004.

On April 13, 2004, JMB cadres abducted him from his house and took him to a JMB camp at Razakar Ramjan Kaya's house at Hamirkutsa. They demanded Tk 1 lakh from him.

As he denied paying they tortured him for two days. Later, he had to pay Tk 50,000 and came out of the camp crippled on the third day into his abduction.

http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=86241