No progress in cases against JMJB

Police have given final report in one case and submitted charge sheet in another case, according to police sources.

A total of 22 murders were committed allegedly by JMJB cadres and many people were tortured, according to sources including victims' families.

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Police said 'lack of complainant, witness and evidence' are the main causes for slow progress in the probe.

But family members of a good number of victims this correspondent talked to alleged police indifference in probe.

JMJB started its 'operation' in the region with the murder of Wasim, also known as Osman Babu of Palashey in Bagmara upazila on March 31 last year.

Sub Inspector Abdul Karim filed a case as Babu's family did not dare.

Later, SI Sirajul Islam submitted final report in the case saying, "Local people informed that a group of bearded men killed Osman Babu but none could be accused due to lack of witness".

The cases for murdering Abdul Quayuum Badsha, Khejur Ali, Afzal Hossain, Mosarraf Hossain and Ziaul Haque Zia of Raninagar upazila; Sheikh Farid, Diponkor Roy of Atrai in Naogaon; Golam Rabbani Mukul of Kanapara; Ali Akbor of Taherpur in Bagmara upazila in Rajshahi and Saifur of Peergachha in Natore are still under investigation. But there has been no progress, it was gathered from police sources yesterday.

Police filed all the murder cases except hose for the murders of Diponkor and Ali Akbor.

Police said they are yet to find any witness in the cases.

Golam Mustafa, brother of cultural activist Golam Rabbani Mukul who was killed on April 11, alleged that he had gone to file a case accusing 12 JMJB men including Bangla Bhai but police did not record it.

"JMJB cadres circulated Mukul's screams through loudspeaker when he was tortured to death. Yet, police recorded their own case in which no one was accused. They even did not visit the spot for investigation", said Mustafa.

"Badshah and Khejur were murdered after making day-long announcements over loudspeakers and people were asked openly to witness his killing.

"Still, investigators could not find any witnesses", lamented a relative of Badshah.

Police submitted charge sheet against three persons Abdul Kuddus, Zamal and Abdul Kuddus-2-- in the case for murdering Yasin Ali of Maria in Bagmara.

Yasin, reportedly an Awami League activist, was kidnapped and beaten to death by hanging him upside down from a tree in front of Kodapara Madrassha on June 29 last year.

"Police did not listen to me when I told them about witnesses who saw Ammar of Khoirabari, Shahadat of Chapainawabganj and Sohrab Master of Kodapara along with three others killing my brother ", Ibrahim, complainant in the Yasin murder case said. The three others were chargesheeted in the case.

"Police asked me to inform them whenever I see Yasin's killers, but they (police) never came when I called them ", Ibrahim told this correspondent yesterday during a visit to Bagmara.

Dizendra Nath, father of slain Diponkor of Kasiabari village in Raninagar in Naogaon, filed a case. Investigation into the case is still on but nothing has been found. Diponkor was murdered on April 27 last year.

Kasiabari Union Parishad Dafadar Zamir Uddin was killed on the same day, but no case was filed.

Besides, three unidentified youths were killed in Atrai on May 5 last year. Their bodies were found at Basudevpur in Natore.

ABM Golam Kibria, Officer- in-Charge of Bagmara police station said police have nothing to do when there was no complainant and witness to any case.

"In many incidents, police file cases do did not find any witness", he said.

Kibria denied allegations that police refused to record cases or ignored any culprit during investigation.