After Canada, Dhaka moves US to get Mujib killer
By IANSWednesday, December 2, 2009
DHAKA - Bangladesh has moved the US authorities through the Interpol to secure the custody of a former army officer convicted for murdering the country’s founding president Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
The National Central Bureau (NCB), Interpol’s regional office in Dhaka, has sent a letter to its Washington office seeking deportation of fugitive Lt. Col. (retd) A.M. Rashed Chowdhury, The Daily Star said.
The move came a day after the Canadians said they had seized the passport of another fugitive, Major (retd.) Noor Chowdhury, and would cooperate in sending him back.
The two are among the six sentenced to death for conspiring to kill Rahman and a score of his family members and political associates Aug 15, 1975.
The death sentences were confirmed on 12 former army officers by a bench of the Supreme Court Nov 19 after which the government is moving swiftly to get the custody of those abroad.
Bangladesh does not have an extradition treaty with either the US or Canada.
However, political observers Wednesday said that Dhaka could face its real test in getting persons based in Pakistan and Libya.
An influential US lawmaker said Wednesday that his country should extend cooperation to bring the convicted killers who are absconding abroad back to the country.
“US should work with your country to find them and get them to court in this country to face extradition process, ” US Congressman and co-chairman of Bangladesh American Congressional Caucus Peter King was quoted as saying in New York by ATN Bangla, a private TV channel.
Meanwhile, Attorney General Mahbubey Alam, chief counsel for the state in the Rahman assassination case Anisul Huq and a judge A.K. Roy received death threats.
The letter said: “Our special killing squad is charging Mahbubey Alam, Anisul Huq and A.K. Roy”. It also said that nobody could save their lives.
The letter reached Dhaka Court Reporters’ Association at about noon by post, Star Online reported.
The writers identified themselves as members of Al Qaeda, Lashkar-e-Taiba, Harkat-ul Jihad al Islami (Huji) and Jamaat-ul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB).
While Lashkar is a Pakistan-based outfit, HuJI and JMB are banned Islamist militant outfits based in Bangladesh.
