Hasina asks for thorough probe

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday directed the home ministry to launch a comprehensive investigation into the alleged link of some "dismissed" army officers with the bomb attack on lawmaker Fazle Noor Taposh and take action accordingly.
The directive came at a regular cabinet meeting at the Prime Minister's Office last night. The premier talked with some of her colleagues about newspaper reports on army officials having link with the recent bomb attack on Taposh.
Confirming the direction, Home Minister Sahara Khatun told The Daily Star last night that the allegation would be thoroughly investigated. "If their involvement with the incident is found, stern action would be taken," she added.
At the meeting the prime minister once again asked her cabinet colleagues to remain alert to possible subversive activities ahead of the Supreme Court verdict on Bangabandhu killing case.
The meeting also discussed amending the BDR Act, which has no provision of trying heinous crimes like murder, arson and looting rather than mutiny. The cabinet also opined against the trial of any future BDR mutiny under the army act, sources said.
The prime minister after a thorough discussion directed the home ministry to amend the BDR Act 1972 so that crimes as murder, arson and looting can be tried, prime minister's Deputy Press Secretary Mahbubul Hoque Shakil told reporters after the meeting.
The act was discussed, as there was a scheduled agenda about gazette notification that stated any future mutiny in the BDR would be tried under the Army Act. The meeting, however, did not make any decision as the law minister is in abroad.
Sources at the meeting told The Daily Star that an ordinance on amending the BDR act would be promulgated soon in the next parliamentary session. The ordinance would be placed before the House as a bill for amendment.
"Provisions of trying all kinds of crimes will make the act complete and free of complexity in the future," a state minister told The Daily Star.
"After the bomb attack on Taposh, no one is safe. So remain alert in your respective fields and areas," one of the ministers quoted Hasina and added that the premier asked them to inform her immediately about any untoward activities.
Hasina also directed the ministers and state ministers to help improve the law and order which some vested quarters are trying to deteriorate in a planned way.
NO MERCY, IF FOUND GUILTY: SAHARA
Home Minister Sahara Khatun earlier yesterday said action would be taken against military officers if found linked with the bomb attack on Awami League lawmaker Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh.
"Whoever is linked with the attack, must get punished. We will not spare anybody,” Sahara said when asked about the Monday's media reports on the involvement of several army persons in the bomb attack. “The matter is under investigation," she added.
She was addressing reporters after a meeting with visiting Executive Director of United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (Unctad) Mike Smith at the home ministry.
Sahara said there were allegations against disgruntled military officers for their involvement in the killings of political leaders since the assassination of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman on August 15, 1975.
“They'll not dare to do so again if the judgment of Bangabandhu murder case is executed,” she said.
During the meeting, the Unctad executive director, who is also the assistant secretary general of the United Nations, proposed setting up a Counter Terrorism Institute in Bangladesh.
Terming the proposal very positive, Sahara said the government is determined to wipe out militancy.
“Once the institute is built, not only Bangladesh, but also the member countries of Saarc will be benefited in curbing militancy," she told the reporters.