Maya skips cabinet meeting

Mofazzal Hossain Chowdhury Maya

Disaster Management and Relief Minister Mofazzal Hossain Chowdhury Maya did not attend today’s cabinet meeting amid criticism over the alleged involvement of his son and son-in-law in the abduction and killing of seven people in Narayanganj.

The absence became an issue of discussion among the officials in Bangladesh Secretariat.

Talking to The Daily Star, Maya said he was too busy to attend the meeting.

While several cabinet members told The Daily Star that Maya felt embarrassed to come across the prime minister as allegation of involvement in the gruesome murders raised against his son and son-in-law.  

Meanwhile, about the arrest of the three Rapid Action Battalion officers who have already been sent into forced retirement for their alleged involvement in the killing, a high official of police told The Daily Star that they would be arrested anytime.

“We did not arrest them due to some legal procedures. But they will now be brought to book for trial,” the police official said seeking anonymity.

Earlier on May 6, the authorities concerned dismissed Commanding Officer of Rab-11 Lt Col Tareque Sayeed Mohammad and its company commanders Maj Arif Hossain and Lt Commander SM Masud Rana for their alleged involvement in abducting and killing the seven people.    

After allegations raised by Shahidul Islam, father-in-law of Narayanganj city panel mayor Nazrul Islam who was among the seven victims, that some Rab-11 men killed him in exchange for Tk 6 crore, some newspapers reported that Maya's son Dipu Chowdhury brokered the deal with Rab-11 commanding officer and his brother-in-law Tareque Sayeed Mohammad.

Shahidul alleged that Siddhirganj thana Awami League leader Nur Hossain and a few others paid Rab the money in exchange for abducting and killing them.

Tareque and two other Rab officers have been withdrawn and attached to the Log Area following the allegations.

Meanwhile, Maya claimed on Friday that none of his family members had any link with the accused in the case filed for the abduction and murder of seven persons in Narayanganj.

In the statement, on the minister's official letterhead, Maya said the media reports linking his family to the seven-murder "saddened" him and "defamed" his family.

"I believe that the truth will definitely come out through investigation. But I would like to state boldly that none of my family had ever been linked or involved in any business dealings, connection or communications with any of the accused in the murder case," the statement read.

AL Advisory Council Member Suranjit Sengupta said yesterday that the prime minister had taken a firm stance on the issue and those responsible, irrespective of their party affiliation and influence, would not be spared.