Questions remain unanswered months after deadly Dhaka cafe attack

Police are looking to get answers to some questions on the Gulshan cafe attack more than three months after the deadly siege.

Staff Correspondentbdnews24.com
Published : 3 Oct 2016, 04:24 PM
Updated : 3 Oct 2016, 05:25 PM

The law enforcers hope to crack the mysteries, including one over the financiers of the attack, after arresting some of the fugitive suspects.

Police detectives are not sure whether and to what extent former North South University teacher Hasanat Rezaul Karim was involved in the attack.

DMP's counterterrorism unit chief Monirul Islam says 'evidences and witnesses' confirmed Tahmid Hasib Khan was not linked to the attackers.

Hasanat and Tahmid were among the hostages freed from Holey Artisan Bakery and O' Kitchen in the morning on July 2.

Militants killed 20 hostages, including 17 foreign nationals, and two police officers in the attack that was launched on the eatery the previous evening. Six attackers were killed in the commando counter-strike.

Monirul replied to media queries on Monday at his office on the attack on the eatery in Dhaka's diplomatic district Gulshan.

Police have denied reported claim of credit for the attack by Middle East-based radical group Islamic State, blaming homegrown militants of Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) for the massacre.

After another attack on police guarding the Sholakia Eid congregation ground in Kishoreganj coming a week after the cafe siege, security agencies launched countrywide anti-militancy drive.

'Neo-JMB leader' Tamim Ahmed Chowdhury, who police said had masterminded the cafe attack, and his 'close aide' Tanvir Qaderi Shipar were among the suspected militants killed in raids.

"Key accused persons have been killed or committed suicide during arrest," Monirul said.

"We have known some things about the source of money, but not details."

"The mystery will be clear once we arrest the other accused persons like Nurul Islam Marjan, Jahangir (alias Rajib), Basharuzzaman (aka Chocolate). We will also know who were linked and who supplied the money and arms," he added.

The detectives expect to get some information from Rakibul Hasan Reagan, arrested at a den of militants in Kalyanpur. Nine suspects were killed in a raid on the house.

Monirul said Tanvir Qaderi's son, arrested during the raid on his house in Azimpur, gave confessional statement. "Some evidences related to the Gulshan attack have been gathered from the statement," he added.

Tahmid 'victim of circumstances'

Tahmid, son of Aftab Bahumukhi Farms Limited Managing Director Fazle Rahim Khan, was freed on bail on Sunday.

Police said their investigations have not pointed to his involvement with the attack.

"It appeared to us that Tahmid is not linked to the (Gulshan attack) case so he was not shown arrested in it," Monirul said.

He said Tahmid was arrested on suspicion of concealing information.

The family said Tahmid, a student at a Canadian university, had returned the day before the attack and had gone to the eatery to have Iftar with his friends.

Tamim, the suspected cafe attack mastermind killed in a raid in Narayanganj, was also from Canada.

Hasanat, who was arrested at a different place on the same day of Tahmid's arrest on Aug 3, was shown arrested in the Gulshan attack case.

Some of the photos of the attack disseminated on social media show Tahmid carrying a gun with Hasanat and Rohan Ibn Imtiaz, one of the attackers killed in the commando operation.

Asked why Tahmid was not charged in the case like Hasanat even though both were seen in the photos, Monirul said, "Our work is based on the evidence and witness statements. We've analysed the information."

DMP Deputy Commissioner Masudur Rahman told bdnews24.com Tahmid was found to be a 'victim of circumstances'.

Monirul said Tahmid would be arrested again if investigation finds his link.

Police await Hasanat report

Monirul said Hasanat has been grilled in custody twice.

"We are waiting for the coordinated report on the questionings to reach a conclusion," he added.

All the freed hostages were taken to the Detective Branch office and released later, police said.

But Tahmid and Hasanat did not return home. Their families alleged that police were holding them in custody.

They were arrested separately on Aug 3, police said.