The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of Police is now putting in all-out efforts to identify and locate the ship that carried the illegal consignment of arms to the Bangladesh water territory in 2004.
CID, the investigating agency of the much-talked-about Chittagong arms haul case, felt that the identity of the ship could help get the information about who sent the arms and ammunition and from which port the ship received them.
Moniruzzaman Chowdhury, senior ASP of the CID and investigating officer (IO) of the case, told BSS yesterday that though it is really difficult to identify the vessel, they are trying hard to find it out by interrogating all suspects found involved in the process of unloading and transporting the smuggled consignment.
It becomes a tough job to find out the name of the ship as it entered the Bangladesh water territory probably without informing the Chittagong seaport authority and left the outer anchorage of the Bay of Bengal after unloading the arms to the trawlers seized later from the CUFL jetty on April 1 in 2004.
"However, I am hopeful of identifying the ship as we achieved a significant progress in the inquiry during the last few months," the IO said.
After grilling the then home secretary Omar Faruk last month, the CID quizzed Syed Mahmudul Haq, a leading frozen food exporter who also operates ship service on Myanmar route, at its Dampara office on Thursday.
Earlier, detained NSI field officer Akbar Hossain, who was involved in hiring trucks for carrying the arms, mentioned the name of Syed Mahmudul Haq during the interrogation.
Sources said Mahmudul Haq denied his involvement in the incident but admitted that he has close relationship with the then NSI chief Brig Gen (retd) Abdur Rahim, who is now in jail.
NSI field officer Akbar earlier confessed to the CID that upon his request, Mahmudul Haq requested Abdur Rahim for suitable posting and promotion of Akbar.
CID sources said they would again ask Mahmudul Haq to appear before the CID office next month for more interrogation.
The sources said the CID had also served notices to the then director of NSI Maj Gen Enamur Rahman Chowdhury, who is currently serving at Bangladesh University of Professionals, and retired DIG of SB of Police Shamsul Islam to appear before the CID office.
Two separate cases filed in connection with arms seizure have been pending with the Chittagong Metropolitan Sessions Judge Court.