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Nizami quizzed in Ctg arms haul cases
Investigators have grilled Jamaat chief Matiur Rahman Nizami at Dhaka Central Jail gate about the 10-truck arms recovery.
Published : 7 May 2011, 08:37 AM
Updated : 7 May 2011, 08:37 AM
Chittagong, May 7 (bdnews24.com) -- Detained Jamaat-e-Islami chief Matiur Rahman Nizami has been quizzed in the cases filed in connection with the 10-truck arms haul.
Officials of Criminal Investigation Department (CID) grilled him at Dhaka Central Jail gate for five hours since Saturday morning.
Investigation officer of the cases Mohammad Moniruzzaman Chowdhury, also assistant superintendent of police (ASP) of Chittagong circle, told bdnews24.com that Nizami was questioned from 10am to 3pm.
During the interrogation, Nizami, also a former industries minister, admitted that no probe committee was formed by the industries ministry after the arms recovery, Moniruzzaman said.
Police seized 10 truckloads of weapons and ammunition from a jetty of the Chittagong Urea Fertiliser Ltd (CUFL) on the night of Apr 1, 2004, sparking speculation that the cache was destined for the Indian insurgent group, United Liberation Front of Assam (Ulfa).
Two cases were filed on April 03, 2004 with Karnaphuli Police Station under section-25/B of the Special Powers Act for arms smuggling and section-19 (ka) of the Arms Act in connection with the arms haul.
On May 4 this year, Chittagong Metropolitan Magistrate's Court passed an order for showing Nizami arrested in the 10-truck arms haul cases following a prayer from the CID.
The court also allowed the investigators to interrogate Nizami at the Dhaka Central Jail gate.
The petition stated that though Nizami was the then Industries Minister, he did not take any effective legal action in connection with the seizure of arms unloaded at the CUFL jetty, which was under the supervision of the ministry.
As per the petition, Nizami's reluctance regarding the seizure of huge arms was also revealed in a statement given by former chairman of Bangladesh Chemical Industries Corporation (BCIC) Maj Gen Mohammad Imamuzzaman.
Former state minister for Home Lutfozzaman Babar was also shown arrested in the same cases earlier on Oct 3 last year.
CID has so far arrested several high officials, including two former directors general (DG) of the National Security Intelligence (NSI) – Maj Gen (retd) Rezzaqul Haider Chowdhury and Brig Gen (retd) Abdur Rahim Chowdhury - former director (security) Wing Commander (retd) Sahab Uddin, former deputy director (technical) Maj (retd) Liakat Hossain, NSI field officer Akbar Hossain, former CUFL managing director Mohsin Talukder and general manager (admin) Enamul Haq in connection with the arms haul case.
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