Moves on to bring back fugitive killers of Bangabandhu

Police initiatives are underway to bring back remaining six fugitive killers of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman as most of them were traced down under Interpol vigil and manhunts through diplomatic channels. Five of their fellow convicts were hanged in January this year.
“We got the last 'red notices' issued by Interpol to track down the six fugitives after the five initial executions as most of them were located at different parts of the world,” said a senior police official at police headquarters.
He said according to police records, former lieutenant colonel Khandaker Abdur Rashid is hiding in Libya while he often travels to Pakistan and SHBM Noor Chowdhury is in Canada but sometimes travels to Britain.
“Of the others Shariful Haque Dalim is staying in Kenya, Rashed Chowdhury in the United States and former captain Abdul Majed and Risaldar Moslehuddin are staying in India,” the official said preferring anonymity.
His comments came as the Interpol last month held a special meeting with representatives of member countries at its headquarters at Leon in France. The international police organisation launched a special campaign to track down high-profile fugitives of different countries under a drive called 'Operation Infra Red'.
Police said several Bangladeshi fugitives including the six Bangabandhu killers were in the list. Additional Police Superintendent Ashfaqul Alam who joined the operation representing Bangladesh Police requested police representatives of other countries to hand them over to Bangladesh.
The development came three months after Bangladesh sought New Delhi's assistance to bring back the convicted ex-army officers believed to be hiding in India and other countries.
"We have sought Indian assistance to track down and arrest the remaining killers to send them to the gallows," told Home Minister Sahara Khatun as Indian High Commissioner in Dhaka Rajeet Mitter called on her at her office recently.
Asked if they discussed about the return of at least two of the absconding August 15, 1975 putsch leaders who were reportedly hiding or languishing in jails in India, Shahara said, "We have also discussed the matter."
“We asked India to return them if they really are staying there,” she said.
Thailand had returned Huda in 1998 after Dhaka and Bangkok signed an extradition treaty. United States returned Mohiuddin Ahmed during the past military-backed caretaker government in 2007 after he failed to obtain a federal court order there to stay back.
Officials earlier said Noor Chowdhury, the man who had directly shot dead Bangabandhu, along with already executed Bazlul Huda and Rashed Chowdhury were trying to take legal cover in Canada and the United States to evade justice.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina recently promised to bring back the remaining six convicted killers of her father saying, “We will run in the rest of the convicted killers. Where will they hide?”
“The world is big and also too small, they have nowhere to hide,” she said in her first public address after the execution of five of the 12 convicted putsch leaders in January.
One of the convicts however had already died in Zimbabwe eight years ago as he was on the run.