Mizanur Rahman Swadhin, who was arrested by police in connection with the bomb attack on the Pahela Baishakh celebration programme in 2001 and later released on bail granted by the High Court, joined the post in the first week of this month.

A former Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD) cadre, Mizanur received departmental training at the Sardah Police Training Academy from February 22.

Ten people were killed and over 100 injured in the bomb blast incident at the Ramna Batomul in Dhaka.

Police arrested Mizanur at a house in Matuail area in the capital. The law enforcers also arrested his cousin Motiur Rahman, imam of the Matuail mosque whom they identified as a skilled bomb maker.

Jasim, another cousin of Mizanur, allegedly carried bombs

to the Ramna Batomul and was killed on the spot.

The three cousins hail from Biron village under Mathbaria upazila in Pirojpur district.

Mizanur was a powerful JCD leader of Suhrawardi College in Dhaka in 2001, some villagers said.

The Ramna Batomul bomb blast case is now under investigation of the Criminal Investigation Department.

Md Shafiqul Islam, superintendent of police, Patuakhali, told The Daily Star that eight policemen have been appointed in the district on completion of their training at Sardah. "I do not know who of them was arrested for involvement in the Ramna bomb blast case," he said.