Court asks CID to finish probe by Nov 12

A Dhaka court yesterday asked the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) to complete investigation by November 12 into the murder of the then Maj Gen Abul Manzur in 1981. 

After this extension, no further time would be given for completing the probe, said Judge SM Saiful Islam of the First Additional District and Sessions Judge's Court after the prosecution submitted a petition seeking three months more time.

The then chief of army staff HM Ershad, now Jatiya Party chief, has been made main accused in the charge sheet.

CID Special Superintendent Abdul Kahar Akond, also the investigation officer, submitted a petition seeking more time for further investigation. Akond sought extension of time in the case for the eighth time.

Advocate Sheikh Muhammad Serajul Islam represented Ershad who was earlier exempted from personal appearance before it while two other accused--Maj (retd) Kazi Emdadul Haque and Lt Col (retd) Mostafa Kamaluddin Bhuiyan --were present at the court yesterday.

Manzur, who was the commander of sector-8 during the Liberation War, was killed at the Chittagong Cantonment on June 1, 1981, two days after the assassination of the then president Ziaur Rahman.

His elder brother Abul Mansur Ahmed filed the murder case on February 28, in 1995.