Dhaka, Feb 14 (BDNEWS) – The confessional statement of a JMB leader in a court acknowledging the responsibility for bombings in cinema halls in Mymensingh by the banned outfit once again proved how the coalition government has been protecting the extremists and implicating opposition leaders in false cases.
Opposition Leader's Political Secretary Saber Hossain Chowdhury and Mymensingh district Awami League President Principal Matiur Rahman, who were implicated in the case, came up with the observations after JMB cadre Moinul Islam admitted that JMB's Mymensingh district commander Salahuddin Salehin carried out the attacks.
At least 19 people were killed and 20 others permanently crippled in the bomb attacks that were carried out almost simultaneously at Purabi, Ajanta, Chhayabani and Aloka cinema halls on December 7, 2002, a day after Eid-ul-Fitr.
Saber said that a day after the heinous attack, Prime Minister Khaleda Zia visited Mymensingh and pointed her finger at the opposition. "When the highest office indicates at something and someone, the administration has noting to do but to proceed at the directive of the highest office."
"The government was not sincere to nab the real culprits, rather exploited the bomb attack to falsely prosecute the opposition leaders and civil society leaders. Had the government arrested the real culprits at that time, the extremism would not reach at the level as it is now," he said.
Saber said: The government is still not sincere to combat militant outfits like Jama'atul Mujahedin Bangladesh. If so, it would proceed to arrest the extremists who had carried out the bomb attacks at the cinema halls after a similar confessional statement earlier.
Apart from Saber, after the blasts police arrested writers Muntasir Mamum and Shahriar Kabir, journalist Enamul Hoque Chowdhury, principal Matiur Rahman and his close relatives. Saber, Enam and Matiur Rahman were implicated in the blasts cases while Mamun and Shahriar on treason charges.
Elderly politician Principal Matiur Rahman, Bir Protik, said implicating Awami League leaders in the incident of bombing in the cinema halls is an act of political envy.
Hours after the Prime Minister at a meeting at Circuit House pointed her finger at the opposition, military personnel raided his house in the night and arrested him and his
two brothers, eldest son and two cousins.
Elaborating how he was tortured after being falsely implicated, he said: I am a patient of high blood pressure and a doctor in the custody prescribed medicines and ECG. But I was not supplied the medicines and allowed to do the ECG.
Matiur Rahman informed that another JMB militant at Gazipur earlier acknowledged that the JMB militants had carried out the cinema halls bomb blasts in Mymensingh, the government did not proceed to arrest the real culprits.
Meanwhile, eminent jurist Dr Kamal Hossain, who had dealt with the cases after arrest of journalists and writers following the cinema blasts, is waiting for certified copy of the confessional statements of the JMB cadres for next course of action, sources said.
BDNEWS/1738 hrs
