Jeep accident was a sabotage to kill me, says Tariqul

The accident of the jeep carrying Information Minister Tariqul Islam on May 22 in Jessore town was an act of sabotage to kill him, the minister told newsmen at Khulna press club on Sunday.

The minister however escaped unhurt as the left side rear wheal of the Toyota Land Cruiser jeep got detached and the vehicle dragged on the road about 70 yards on three wheels before it stopped.

The minister was on way to Khulna to inaugurate a branch of the Premier Bank.

The Land Cruiser belonging to Power Development Board (PDB) was requisitioned by police for the minister.

Driver of the jeep had to take risk to halt it, the minister said.

The Land Cruiser was immediately sized and the minister was provided with a Pajero jeep by Jessore Deputy Commissioner to enable him to reach Khulna.

The one-man committee headed by ADC (Gen), Jessore, in his report also said that all the six nuts of the rear wheel of the Land Cruiser were found loose during investigation.

This is an act of sabotage and it can not be ruled out that it was pre-planned, obviously to make an attempt on the life of the information minister, the report submitted to Jessore DC said.

PDB has also submitted another report to the DC.

A general diary was also filed with Kotwali thana in this connection by the minister's APS Hafizur Rahman.

The inquiry committee also recorded statements of Traffic Inspector Sohrab Ali and the minister's security Huda. They refused that they were negligent to duty.