'JMB leader' remanded over attack on pastor
A local court yesterday placed suspected JMB regional leader Rakibul Islam on five-day remand over the attempted murder of Pastor Luke Sarkar.
Judge Rejaul Karim of Pabna Cognisance Court-2 passed the order after police produced him before it seeking 10-day remand, said court sources.
Law enforcers arrested Rakibul, 22, from Mazidpur in Pabna Sadar upazila on Wednesday following a confessional statement by Rakibul Alam alias Rabbi, an alleged operative of outlawed militant group Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB).
Rabbi, 21, along with four other JMB suspects was nabbed by cops on October 12 from different areas of Pabna and Sirajganj, a week after three youths tried to slit the throat of Sarkar at his Schoolpara house in the district's Ishwardi upazila.
The fifty-two-year-old pastor of Faith Bible Church survived the attempt on his life. He later received treatment at Ishwardi Upazila Health Complex and Pabna General Hospital for minor injuries.
He filed an attempted murder case with Ishwardi Police station on October 5, accusing three unnamed people.
Police said Rakibul, JMB commander in Pabna, and Rabbi were among the three attackers. The cops were hunting for the other suspect Mohammad Shakil.
Asked if Rakibul would be identified through an identification parade, Liton Kumar Shaha, additional superintendent of Pabna police, yesterday said they couldn't do it immediately as they were busy with operating drives to nab Shakil.
Law enforcers, however, claimed that Sarkar identified Rabbi as one of his attackers. The trio spent around an hour with the pastor at his home a couple of days before carrying out the attack.
Meanwhile, Rakibul's family members said they had no idea whatsoever of his involvement with the JMB.
“My son is a gentle boy. He says prayers five times a day. I've no idea about how he got involved with the JMB,” Rakibul's mother Azmira Khatun told The Daily Star.
She said her son is an HSC student at Debottar Degree College. However, Principal Saidur Rahman of the college could not confirm the statement.
According to cops, four other arrested “JMB men” are now behind bars in another case filed by police for planning subversive activities.
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