Families of two ruling Awami League front leaders, one of whom is a prime murder suspect, say RAB has taken them away amid a wave of ‘crossfire’ killings.
But the elite police unit, which has been involved in some of the recent murders without trial, has refuted their claim.
Awami Swechchhasebak League’s Kushtia unit General Secretary Sheikh Sajjad Hossain Sabuj is accused of being involved in the killing of a Juba League activist during a factional clash at a National Mourning Day programme in Kushtia on Aug 15.
At a press conference on Friday, Sabuj’s mother Shahida Begum alleged RAB picked up her son and Kushtia Swechchhasebak League unit chief Aktaruzzaman Labu from Dream Square Resort at Gazipur’s Mawna at around 4:45am.
She claimed RAB also took away the resort’s owner Moniruzzaman.
Sabuj’s father Sheikh Kaizar Hossain, wife Jannatul Ferdous Jinia, son Shahed Hossain, daughter Sumaiya Ferdous and other family members were present at the media call.
Shahida Begum also accused RAB of not cooperating with them.
She said the resort’s manager Shimul Ahmed informed them that RAB-1 personnel had taken away the three men.
RAB-12 Kushtia Camp Commander Mosaddek Ibn Mujib declined comment.
But RAB spokesperson Mufti Mahmud Khan said, “We didn’t arrest them. But we will investigate if anyone files complaint that they have been taken away.”
A Kushtia detective police official told bdnews24.com he had heard about the matter.
“But I’m not sure about its authenticity. Sabuj is a listed criminal and has been absconding since the murder case,” he said, declining to be named as he was not authorised to speak to the media.
The Awami League’s Kushtia unit also would not comment on the matter.An Awami League leader, speaking on condition of anonymity, dubbed Sabuj “an intruder in the party”.
He accused Sabuj of amassing millions through extortion and verbally abusing several Awami League leaders and harassing another in broad daylight.
“The Awami League cannot have any ties with him,” he said.
He claimed Sabuj used to serve as the bodyguard of BNP’s Kushtia unit Publicity Secretary Kajal Majmadar.
Juba League activist ‘Sabuj’, 25, died from stab injuries he sustained during a clash between two groups of Awami League supporters on Aug 15.
They paid tributes to Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman at his mural on the National Mourning Day.
The victim’s brother filed a case the following day naming the Swechchhasebak League leader as the main accused.
Kushtia district administration cancelled licences for 10 firearms – two of Sabuj and one of Labu.
Another accused in the case, Jakir Hossain, 30, was killed in an alleged gunfight with police on Tuesday.
Source: Bd news24