RAB chief questioned over Narayanganj murders

Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) chief Mokhlesur Rahman has been questioned over the alleged involvement of the elite police unit's personnel in Narayanganj's sensational seven-murder case.

The administrative committee investigating the murder interviewed the RAB director general for over two hours at committee chief Shahjahan Ali Molla’s Secretariat office on Monday afternoon.

"It's only appropriate that I will be questioned as the force's chief," Rahman told reporters after he came out.

"I told them everything they asked. I've told them the truth," he said.

He sidestepped a question on what issues he was interrogated about, merely saying everything the committee asked was important.

Committee chief Ali told reporters that they wanted to see how much Rahman knew as the RAB chief, several of whose members were accused in the case and some of them were behind bars.

"What we discussed with the RAB chief was based on media reports on the murders, witness testimonies and our findings," he said.

The investigation committee was formed on May 7 on High Court orders. It has been tasked to find if the law enforcers were involved in the murders in any way or whether they neglected to find the abductees alive.

It had earlier questioned RAB Additional Director General Col Ziaul Ahsan over the murders.

Seven, including Narayanganj City Councillor Nazrul Islam and senior lawyer Chandan Kumar Sarkar, were abducted on Apr 27. Their bodies were found floating on the Shitalakkhya River a few days later.

Former Lt Col Tarek Sayeed, then the RAB-11 commander, was removed along with former Maj Arif Hossain and former Lt Commander MM Rana even before the bodies were found.

The former RAB trio was forced to retire and arrested. They have reportedly confessed to their roles in the crime before a Narayanganj court.

Islam's relatives claimed RAB officers had taken Tk 60 million in bribe from prime suspect local Awami League leader Nur Hossain, currently lodged in a West Bengal jail.

DG Rahman on Monday said, "RAB has transparency. It only does what is right. I told them (the probe committee) that RAB always follows the path of law, justice and truth."

So far, 10 people have reportedly given confessional statements to the court in the case while 12 others, including nine RAB personnel have testified as witnesses.

Investigation committee chief Molla said their investigation was nearing its end.

"A final report will be filed soon," he said without specifying a date.

Investigators have questioned nearly 400 people including Narayanganj MP Shamim Osman and Mayor Selina Hayat Ivy over the murder.

Molla said the final report would be submitted if they do not get to question prime suspect Nur Hossain.

He said the investigation was progressing slowly as they were trying to dig out the "solid truth".

"When the time comes, you'll see that we're not sitting around," Molla added.