'Rezzakul was in touch with Tarique'

Former DGFI chief Sadiq Hasan Rumi tells a court trying Aug 21, 2004 grenade attack.

Former chief of Directorate General of Forces Intelligence Sadiq Hasan Rumi on Monday told a Dhaka court Khaleda Zia's elder son Tarique Rahman used to maintain contact with the then DGFI Director Major General Rezzakul Haider Chowdhury.

He made his deposition at Dhaka's Speedy Trial Tribunal-1 in the case filed over the grenade attack on a rally of Awami League President Sheikh Hasina at Bangabandhu Avenue on Aug 21, 2004..

Both Rezzakul and Tarique are accused in the cases.

Rumi on Monday said apart from Tarique, a BNP Vice-Chairman, Rezzakul also maintained communications with the former State Minister for Home Affairs Lutfozzaman Babar.

There were allegations of diverting the course of investigation during the rule of BNP-Jamaat alliance. Babar is another accused in the case.

As the defence asked him whether he had any communication with an absconding accused in the case, Khaleda's former Political Secretary Harris Chowdhury, he told the court, "I used to talk to him on the phone."

Rumi's cross-examination continued for the second day on Monday at tribunal judge Shahed Noor Uddin's special court in front of the Dhaka Central Jail in the capital's Nazim Uddin Road.

The court also set Nov 21 for quizzing Rumi again.

Witness deposition in the Aug 21 cases, one for the murders and another for the use of explosives, are still going on, and Rumi is giving his statement as the 14th witness.

In his deposition on Sunday, Rumi confessed at a the court he had requested BNP Chairperson Khaleda to leave the country during the state of emergency in 2007 following orders from the then Army chief Moeen U Ahmed.

Following several changes of investigation officers, sixth Investigation Officer of the case CID's Fazlul Kabir submitted the charge-sheet accusing 22 in June 2008 during the last caretaker government's tenure.

After the current Awami League government took office, the police conducted further investigation and added 30 more names to the list of accused, including Khaleda's elder son Tarique Rahman.