3 more Rab men arrested, remanded over 7-murder

This file photo shows one of the seven bodies found in the river Shitalakkhya at Narayanganj being pulled towards the shore on April 30. The photo was partly pixelated. Photo: Courtesy/TV grab

A Narayanganj court today placed three personnel of Rapid Action Battalion on a seven-day remand hours after they were arrested in connection with the seven murders in Narayanganj.

Detectives arrested assistant sub-inspector Bazlur Rahma and two havilders Abul Kalam Azad and Md Nasiruddin last night, said Officer-in-Charge of Narayanganj Detective Branch Mamunur Rashid Mandal, also the investigating officer of the murder cases filed in this connection.

Police officer however, did not disclose other details about the arrest.

Senior Judicial Magistrate Manowara Begum granted their remand after police produced them before the court this morning with a 10-day remand prayer.

City panel Mayor Nazrul Islam, his driver and three associates, and senior lawyer Chandan Sarker and his driver were abducted separately but around the same time on April 27 from Dhaka-Narayanganj Link Road. Their bodies were found floating in the Shitalakkhya a few days later.

Nazrul’s wife Selina Islam filed a murder case accusing local Awami League leader Nur Hossain as prime accused who was arrested in Kolkata, India, on June 14 for intruding into the country. He is now in an Indian jail and is facing trial for illegal entry.

Another case was filed by Chandan Sarkar's colleague in Narayanganj.

Earlier, 24 people were arrested in the murder cases. Among them, 13 people including 11 Rab officials have made confessional statements to the court. On the other hand, 14 people including 9 Rab members gave their deposition as witnesses.

Rab men's involvement in the killings came to light when Nazrul's father-in-law Shahidul Islam alleged that some Rab personnel had abducted and killed Nazrul in exchange for Tk 6 crore from ward councillor Nur Hossain and his aides.

On August 27, five Rab men were arrested in connection with the murders and placed them on five-day remand.

The five told the court that they had been forced to get involved in the abduction and killing by their superior officers -- Lt Col Tareque Sayeed Mohammad, Maj Arif Hossain and Lt Commander MM Rana -- who had been arrested earlier.

The Rab officers confessed to their involvement with the killings before a Narayanganj court.