The decision was taken over a home ministry directive after the DB had completed its investigation and submitted the memorandum of evidence to the monitoring cell of sensational cases under the home ministry.

Assistant Superintendent of CID police Ayub Ali will now investigate the case.

The investigation into the murder of Prof Yunus meantime took a new turn after arrested Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) chief Abdur Rahman confessed to have masterminded the murder, sources said.

Earlier, local police and DB investigators found Shibir cadre Zafar Babu and his associates to be involved in the murder. Police also attached properties of Zafar Babu.

Following Rahman's statement, investigators found that seven JMB men including the outfit's Rajshahi commander Shafiullah alias Tarik, commander Goalm Mostafa and cadres "Boma" Matin and Kashem committed the murder.

Prof Yunus, a teacher of economics and RU Banglabandhu Parishad president, was killed when he went on a morning walk on December 24, 2004.