Body formed to probe Narayanganj abduction spree

Supporters of a ward councilor, who was abducted four days ago, block Dhaka-Chittagong highway in Narayanganj Wednesday morning. Photo: TV grab

A three-member committee led by the additional deputy inspector general of police will investigate the abduction of seven people including a senior lawyer and a ward councilor from Narayanganj.

Dhaka Range DIG Md Nuruzzaman formed the probe body last night, Additional DIG Khandaker Golam Faruk confirmed it to The Daily Star.

Senior lawyer Chandan Kumar Sarkar and his driver were kidnapped on Sunday hours after the abduction of ward councillor Nazrul Islam and his four aides from Adalatpara in the city.

Meanwhile, followers of the missing ward councillor blocked Dhaka-Chittagong highway for nearly four hours for the fourth consecutive day demanding that law enforcers rescue Nazrul and his aides.

Transport movement on the highway remained suspended after the agitated people put barricades at Mouchak and Sanarpar points in Siddhirganj of the district around 9:30am, said Abdul Matin, officer-in-charge of Siddhirganj Police Station.

The demonstrators withdrew the blockade around 1:00pm after police rushed the spot and managed to clam them, our correspondent reported quoting witnesses.

They also demanded the arrest of Awami League leaders Nur Hossain and Mohammad Yasin, who have been accused in a case filed in this connection on Monday. 

Nur Hossain is councillor of ward-4 and also vice-president of Siddhirganj AL unit and Yasin is general secretary of the ruling party's same unit.

Meantime, the lawyers of the district judges court boycotted the court today for the third straight day demanding immediate rescue of their fellow Chandan Sarker.

In the wake of deterioration of law and order, the home ministry yesterday recommended withdrawal of four law enforcement officials from Narayanganj.

The four are Syed Nurul Islam, superintendent of police; Lt Col Tareque Sayeed Mohammad, Rab-11 commanding officer; Akhtar Hossain, officer-in-charge of Fatullah Police Station; and Abdul Matin, officer-in-charge of Siddhirganj Police Station.

A source said withdrawal of Manoj Kanti Boral, deputy commissioner of Narayanganj, has also been recommended.