Police investigating attack on suspended Habiganj mayor in jail discover ‘plot to kill Finance Minister Muhith’

Police claim to have unearthed a ‘conspiracy to kill Finance Minster Abul Maal Abdul Muhith’ while investigating the attack in prison on suspended Habiganj Municipality mayor Golam Kibria Gaus.

Habiganj Sadar Police Station OC Nazim Uddin said Ilias Mia Chhoton, who attacked Gaus on July 18, divulged the ‘assassination plot’ on Sunday to the probe committee formed by the district administration.
 
He said Chhoton, accused in two murder cases, disclosed the plot to the court of Judicial Magistrate Koushik Ahmed Khandker on Monday in a confessional statement.
 
The BNP had said the attack on Gaus, general secretary of the party's Habiganj unit, manifested ‘grave deterioration of law and order’.
 
The district administration formed the committee to investigate attack on Gaus and vandalism at the prison.
 
Chhoton testified to the committee on Sunday.

OC Nazim Uddin said, “Ilias told the probe committee that Gaus had hired him to kill Finance Minister Muhith and Habiganj MP Md Abu Zahir.

“They made the deal in prison. But he (Chhoton) attacked Gaus as he was not paid and his bail was not arranged as per the agreement.”

Quoting Chhoton, the police officer said as per the deal, Gaus was to pay Ilias Tk 100 million for murder of Muhith and Tk 20 million for Zahir.

Nazim Uddin said, “As per the deal, Ilias was supposed to be given Tk 1 million in advance and freed on bail before the Eid (-ul-Fitr). But Gaus did nothing.

“Ilias claimed that he had attacked Gaus in the fear that he might be killed if the matter is leaked.”

Probe committee chief Safiul Alam, the additional district magistrate, declined comment on the police statement quoting Chhoton.

Injrued Golam Kibria Gaus after the July 18 attack. File Photo

“The investigation report will be submitted when it is time. It’s not possible to divulge details in the interest of the enquiry,” he told bdnews24.com.

District deputy commissioner Sabina Alam on July 5 formed the five-strong committee that was to submit a report along with recommendations in seven working days.

The panel was later given three more days.

Chhoton was produced before a court in Habiganj where he gave confessional statement to the magistrate from 1pm to 1:30pm, the Habiganj Sadar police OC said.

He was later sent to Habiganj district jail.

Gaus was shifted to Dhaka Central Jail on July 18 following the attack.

The BNP had called a shutdown in the district for July 19 in protest against the attack.