Escape of 2 militants a failure of law enforcers

Escape of two convicted militants from the court premises is a failure of the law enforcers, M Khurshid Hossain, director general of Rapid Action Battalion, has said.

"We believe in self-criticism. Two militants escaped. It is our failure. The militants planned it for a long time and then fled. We are yet to arrest them, but our drive is going on," he told journalists yesterday after visiting Suhrawardy Udyan where the ruling Awami League holds its 22nd National Council today.

"Militants are still active; we are active too ... We earlier arrested members of militant outfits during their training in hilly areas. So, we don't think they will get a chance of doing anything," he added.

Meanwhile, Dhaka Metropolitan Police Commissioner Khandker Golam Faruq said the two militants, who fled the court premises recently, would not be a threat.

"We were able to identify their associates already and arrested some of them. We will arrest the rest soon," he said at a press briefing after visiting Suhrawardy Udyan.

Two Ansar al-Islam men -- Moinul Hasan Shamim alias Samir alias Imran and Abu Siddiq Sohel -- who were sentenced to death for killing publisher Faisal Arefin Dipan, fled the premises of Dhaka Chief Judicial Magistrate's Court on November 20.

Later, a case was filed with Kotwali Police Station in this connection.

Of the two, Sohel was also sentenced to death in the case filed over the murder of blogger-writer Avijit Roy.

Bangladesh Police has announced a bounty of Tk 10 lakh each on the two.