Bangladesh government has begun the process to bring back Nur Hossain, prime accused in the Narayanganj multiple murders case, from Kolkata, State Minister for Home Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal has said.
Published : 15 Jun 2014, 12:32 PM
Hossain was arrested on Saturday night by a team from the Special Task Force of the West Bengal police from Baguiati, not far from Kolkata's Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport.
Communications Minister Obaidul Quader on Sunday also said there would be no legal issues as Hossain would be brought back under the extradition treaty.
It is evident that Bangladesh would have to put in a formal request for extradition to India. Both countries now have an extradition treaty to facilitate repatriation of criminals and terrorists wanted in the other country.
Hossain’s arrest was made nearly one and a half months after the seven murders in Narayanganj that shook the country.
Bangladesh had sought the help of the Interpol on May 22 to nab Hossain, but it had also informed India to check out reports that Hossain had slipped into Kolkata.
A revolver was found on Nur Hossain along with two mobile phones.
He was booked under Arms Act and Foreigners Act for illegal trespass into Indian territory without valid travel document and for illegal possession of a weapon.
Hossain was produced in a court in West Bengal's North 24-Parganas district on Sunday. The court has given police eight days to interrogate him.
Talking to reporters at the Secretariat earlier in the day, Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal said the government started process to bring back the Narayanganj City’s Ward-4 councillor who had gone off the radar after the families of the victims alleged he orchestrated the abductions and murders.
Asked whether his repatriation would be delayed if his trial in Indian court begins, Kamal said Bangladesh provided many countries including India with Nur Hossain’s photo via the Interpol. The Indian government arrested him after that, he added.
“We have an extradition treaty with India and he will be brought back in line with this.”
A deputy secretary at the Ministry of Home Affairs, asking not to be named, told bdnews24.com about the process when asked.
The official said at first police will have to submit all necessary documents including the chargesheet against Hossain at the home ministry.
The ministry will then send the documents to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. After the foreign ministry finishes scrutinising the papers, they will be able to bring him back, said the official.
Meanwhile, Narayanganj Superintendent of Police Khandker Mohid Uddin told reporters on Sunday he was in touch with the Indian police regarding Hossain’s return.
Hossain is believed to be the mastermind of the Narayanganj multiple murders, for which some officers of the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) are now in the dock.
Assassinated councillor Nazrul Islam's relatives alleged that the RAB officers took Tk 60 million from Hossain to carry out the abductions and murders and then helped him escape to Kolkata.
But the RAB has denied the charge even though it had claimed that he fled to India.
However, three RAB-11 officers were removed from the force two days after the Apr 27 abductions.
Later, their parent forces packed them off on forced retirement after allegations of their involvement in the crime surfaced.
The officers in question are former RAB-11 commander ex-Lt Col Tarek Sayeed Mohammad, former Major Arif Hossain and former navy officer Lt Commander MM Rana.
After the trio was arrested, Arif and Rana both confessed to their roles in the abduction and murder of the seven people.
Nur Hossain, who rose from being a transport worker to a city councillor, allegedly ran many illegal businesses on the banks of Shitalakhyya.
Police during several raids had seized huge amount of drugs and arms from several shops owned by him at Narayanganj’s Siddhirganj truck stand.
Nazrul Islam, also an Awami League leader like Nur Hossain, was his arch-rival in Narayanganj.