6 stay out of reach

None of the remaining six convicted killers of Bangabandhu, now holed up in different countries, could be brought back yet despite the government's diplomatic manoeuvres.
The government even does not yet have specific information about the whereabouts of a number of the absconding killers because of their frequent change of location. It already sought assistance from the Interpol in this regard, but for no result.
Law Minister Shafique Ahmed, however, yesterday claimed that the government has information about the fugitives and is working to bring them back to face justice.
The six absconding killers are Lt Col (dismissed) Khandaker Abdur Rashid, Lt Col (relieved) Shariful Haque Dalim, Lt Col (retd) Nur Chowdhury, Lt Col (retd) AM Rashed Chowdhury, Capt Abdul Mazed and Risalder Moslehuddin.
Five of the 12 convicted killers of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman were executed early yesterday at Dhaka Central Jail.
Another convict, Aziz Pasha, died in Zimbabwe in 2002.
All the subsequent military and civil governments coming to power following the coup of August 15, 1975, until the Awami League came to power in 1996, awarded and rehabilitated the leaders of the upheaval politically instead of punishing the self-declared murderers.
General Ziaur Rahman and General Ershad, who became the president of the country, and former prime minister Khaleda Zia--all created opportunities for the killers and directly or indirectly rehabilitated them politically. They also assisted the killers in getting power and authority.
Sources in the administration and intelligence agencies said the government has specific information about two of the six absconding convicts.
Lt Col (retd) AM Rashed Chowdhury now resides in the USA and is trying for getting political asylum in Canada, they said.
The government has requested the US government through its embassy in Washington to deport Rashed Chowdhury.
Another convict Lt Col (retd) Nur Chowdhury, after a long stay in Germany, has also sought political asylum in Canada.
No specific information regarding the locations of four others is available, but different sources say they are hiding in Libya, Pakistan, Kenya and Hong Kong.
According to the sources Lt Col (dismissed) Khandaker Abdur Rashid, one of the key plotters of the massacre of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and most of his family members, is settled in Benghazi, Libya, where he owns a construction business.
He used to be a frequent visitor to Pakistan before he was admitted to a hospital there after a road crash a couple of months ago.
One source says Lt Col (relieved) Shariful Haque Dalim is now in the UK, but Rashed Chowdhury, press minister of Bangladesh High Commission in London, told The Daily Star yesterday that they had searched for Dalim in the UK for the last one month but could find no trace of him.
Another source says Dalim lives in Pakistan and often travels to Libya, particularly Benghazi.
Dalim has a business in Kenyan capital Nairobi and some other African countries. He even has a Kenyan passport, sources said.
Capt Abdul Mazed frequently visits both Benghazi and Pakistan while Risalder Moslehuddin lives in Libya.