Parliamentary committee wants police to nab Garo girl rapists, militants

The parliamentary standing committee has asked the home ministry to get police to nab the culprits involved in the gang-rape of a Garo girl on a microbus and said ten eminent citizens threatened by militants must be protected.

Those threatened include the vice-chancellor of the Dhaka University.

The committee, responsible for oversight of the home ministry functioning, also called for nabbing the culprits responsible for molestations of women during the Bengali New Year celebrations on the university campus.

The observations were made on Sunday at the parliament building during a session of the committee.

Later, the committee's Chairman Tipu Munshi told journalists that 10 eminent citizens had received threats from Islamist militants, so police must be highly vigilant.

"We want police to be on high alert. It is no use moving after attacks have taken place. We want necessary measures to protect those who have been threatened."

Munshi said the overall performance of the police was satisfactory but in some cases, they seem to have been found wanting.

"They need to plug the gaps."

Munshi said intelligence must find out those responsible for sending out the letters threatening the eminent citizens.

On Wednesday, letters purportedly sent by 'Alkaida-Ansarullah Bangla Team 13’ were received  by Prime Minister's Advisor HT Imam, Dhaka University Vice Chancellor AAMS Arefin Siddique, Professor Muhammad Zafar Iqbal, MP Taranna Halim , DU Jagannath Hall Provost  Ashim Sarkar , Ganajagaran Mancha Convenor Imran H Sarkar, and four DU teachers Kaberi Gayen, Bikash Saha, Md Iqbalur Rahim and Palan Sutar.

All ten were threatened with death.

Tipu Munshi said they asked police to be generally alert about militant activities, especially in identifying and protecting those who could be targeted by the militants.

Garo girl rape

Tipu Munshi said the committee discussed the gang-rape of the Garo girl in some detail.

"I raised the issue and asked police whether it is true that they have so far failed to arrest anyone. They agreed."

He said the home ministry had been asked to instruct police for tough action against rapists.

"Arrests must be made soon and information provided by them will surely lead the police to the culprits."

A Garo girl was gang-raped by five men on a microbus Thursday and then dumped off at Uttara.

A case was filed on Friday at Bhatara police station and evidence of rape was confirmed.

Munshi said police were asked to respond over the Feb 26 Avijit Roy murder and the Bengali New Year Day molestations on the Dhaka University campus.

"Police say they have conducted internal investigations and found their personnel were not at fault.

“But we have asked them for speedy action in both cases so that the culprits are brought to justice," Munshi said.

One MP on the committee told bdnews24.com on condition of anonymity that police had been warned about 'indiscreet interactions' with the media.

The parliamentary panel has recommended more focused police action to nab the culprits responsible for the molestations on Bengali New Year Day and the murder of the secular bloggers.