Minister Maya seeks to defend son-in-law

Minister Mofazzal Hossain Chowdhury Maya, whose son-in-law led RAB-11 during the sensational seven murders in Narayanganj, has issued a statement claiming none of his family has had any role in the crime.

The disaster management minister, using his ministerial letter head, said Friday he was deeply saddened by media reports linking his family to the murders which “defamed me and members of my family”.

“But I would like to state categorically that none of my family has ever been linked or involved in any business dealings with any of the accused in the murder case,” Maya said in the statement, issued two days after his son-in-law was sacked by the army.

The former Lt Col, Tarek Sayeed Mahmud, was removed from his job as head of the Narayanganj-based RAB unit, two days after the April 27 abductions were reported.

The seven bodies were found in the Shitalakhyya river over two days -- six on April 30 and the seventh on May 1.

The minister said he had made no comment until now so that the investigations into the murders were not “influenced”.

His statement, however, came as several committees, formed by police, Rapid Action Battalion and the government, were investigating the crime.

The elite force launched an internal enquiry after the father-in-law of Narayanganj City Councillor Nazrul Islam, one of the abductees, claimed RAB officials including Maya’s son-in-law Mahmud were paid to carry out the murders.

Mahmud and two other officers - Maj Arif Hossain and naval officer Lt Commander MA Rana were sent to forced retirement on Wednesday because of their suspected ties to the incident.

On Thursday, several RAB sources told bdnews24.com that their investigations, launched after the allegation surfaced, had found evidence of its own officers being involved.

Two days after the abductions, apart from Mahmud, the SP of Narayanganj’and OCs of two police stations were also removed. The district’s DC was removed too.

Forensic experts have said the abductees were knocked unconscious and strangled immediately after their abduction by professional killers.