Former chief justice ABM Khairul Haque has blasted the police for their ‘numerous failures’ in preventing the Feb 26 murder of writer-blogger Avijit Roy inside their security cover at the Ekushey Book Fair in Dhaka University.
The Law Commission chairman said on Monday that the way the ‘general’ and ‘helpless’ people are being burnt could lead to a ‘loss of trust’ in the justice system.
“Why do [police] have to call in the FBI? You were also supposed to follow the grammar they will do in their investigation. The same training, the same process, yet why do they have to come?”
Justice Haque wondered what would have happened if the attack had taken place in Manhattan.
“A number of policemen were standing only 15 yards from the incident. Shouldn’t they have rushed to the spot?”
He went on to blast the law enforcers for not rushing Avijit to the hospital in their vehicles and failing to arrange first aid for Avijit’s wife Rafida Ahmed Bonya, who was injured while trying to protect her husband from the assailants.
“Police are not called the ‘police’ abroad; they are referred to as the ‘law’. They say the law is coming.”
He was being threatened by religious radicals for his writings on science and religion.
“One journalist, Jibon, took Avijit to the hospital on an [autorickshaw]. What were police vehicles there for?”
He also asked why the police had not explained their inactivity and blasted the Inspector General of Police.
“The police chief has three stars on his car. Those stars are of no help to us. To us, the stars mean our brains are not battered on the streets.”
“The police chief should have stepped down on that very day. But we do not have that culture. Not that we expect it.”
Professor Ajay Roy, father of Avijit and a freedom fighter, was also present at the programme organised by Ekattorer Ghatak Dalal Nirmul Committee in Dhanmondi.
“We have seen the culture of terrorism taking roots. We need a secular and democratic state to get out of this situation,” he said.
Law Minister Anisul Huq said, “There is no question of the criminals not facing justice. No one in Bangladesh should think they are above the law. We will build that Bangladesh.
Source: bdnews24