Khoka for withdrawing army men from Rab

Following allegations of some of Rab members’ involvement in different criminal activities, BNP leader Sadeque Hossain Khoka today called for withdrawing military personnel from the elite force in a bid to save the image of the armed forces.

Khoka, a vice-chairman of BNP, alleged that a conspiracy is being hatched to tarnish the image of the armed forces of the country, reports the Bangla daily Prothom Alo.

“The army should take back its personnel from the Rab,” he said while speaking at a rally organised at the Jatiya Press Club to protest corruption cases against BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia and her son Tarique Rahman.

“We want to see a bright image of our army officials,” said Khoka.

Rab has come into the spotlight following allegations of some of its officials’ involvement with the abduction and gruesome killings of seven people in Narayanganj. 

On April 27, Narayanganj panel mayor Nazrul Islam and his four aides, and senior lawyer Chandan Sarker and his driver were kidnapped almost at the same time after they left the court area by two cars.

Six bodies, including those of Nazrul and Chandan, were found floating in the Shitalakkhya river on April 30 while the other was found the next day.

On May 3, Nazrul's father-in-law Shahidul Islam alleged that Narayanganj ward-4 Councillor Nur Hossain gave a bribe of Tk 6 crore to Rab men for killing Nazrul.

Three Rab officials -- Lt Col Tareque Sayeed Mohammad, Maj Arif Hossain and Lt Commander Masud Rana -- were forced into retirement following the allegations.

They were later arrested and placed on remand for their alleged involvement in the abductions and killings.

Speaking at the same programme, BNP acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said ‘false’ charges have been framed against Khaleda in an attempt to keep her from politics.

BNP joint secretary general Amanullah Aman and Dhaka city unit member secretary MA Salam, among others, spoke on the occasion.