After a Dhaka court on Wednesday handed down death sentence to seven militants for deadly Holey Artisan Bakery attack, one of the convicts Rakibul Hassan Rigan donned a black cap with emblem of militant group Islamic State (IS).
Another death row convict named Rajib Gandhi alias Jahangir Alam was also seen wearing similar cap while he was taken into the prison van after the court verdict.
How could the convicts put on such caps despite tight security have raised question. None of the militants were seen wearing such caps while they were brought to the court in the morning.
The convicts did not show any repentance after pronouncement of the verdict. Rather they showed arrogance by shouting loudly defending their deeds. They were also chanting slogans at the time.
Witnesses said Rakibul Hassan Rigan put on the cap after the court handed down the sentence.
Asked, Dhaka Metropolitan Police’s counter terrorism unit (CTTC) chief Monirul Islam told Prothom Alo, “We have seen this. We are taken aback by this incident. Convicts are frisked before bringing from the jail so that they can’t take anything with them. We will investigate with due importance as to how could they bring such caps with them.”
Law minister Anisul Haq was also asked about the incident at the secretariat. He said they have known about it and the authorities would enquire about it with due importance.
“The incident should be investigated. I’ll talk with concerned authority right now,” the minister said.
On 1 July 2016, armed terrorists barged into the upscale restaurant in the heart of the diplomatic quarter and unleashed an unprecedented carnage that shook the nation.
Twenty-two people — nine Italians, seven Japanese, an Indian, a Bangladeshi-born American and two Bangladeshis along with two police officers — were killed before commandoes stormed the cafe and neutralised the extremists.
Earlier on Wednesday, Dhaka Anti-terrorism Special Tribunal judge Mohammad Mujibur Rahman handed down death penalty for seven militants for the attack. The court also found one of the accused not involved with the innocent.
Source: Prothom Alo.
