Lawyers remove their nameplates, cops keep doors shut

The main gates of Police Superintendent's office and 4 police stations have also been closed and the visitors are allowed to enter only after checking their identities and registering their names and addresses.

Panic gripped the town after the JMB (Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh) suicide bombers carried out twin attacks on Gazipur and Chittagong court premises that killed 9 people including a lawyer on November 29.

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Preferring anonymity, an eminent lawyer said, "I have removed my name-plate from my chamber and residence to avoid any JMB and Harkat-ul- Jihad (HuJi ) attack because we have information that there are cadres of these two militant groups. The August 17 bomb blasts in the town and on the judge court premises are proof of their existence.

"As security has been tightened in court areas, the militants may now attack lawyers' residences because they are determined to destroy the judiciary", he said.

"But police have miserably failed to make any headway in the blasts. The suspects are moving freely on their noses", he lamented.

Superintendent of Police (SP) in Magura Mia Lutfar Rahman Chowdhury talking to this correspondent however said, "Although we are yet to make any list of militants, police will be able to make a major headway soon as we have launched operation to nab the militants involved in August17 blast here".

On August 17, 5 bombs went off in different areas of the town including court compound while another unexploded bomb was recovered from Bhaina Square. No charge-sheet has yet been submitted as police is still clueless to the incident, sources in police said.

Alhough police had arrested two suspected members of Ahle Hadith Andolon Bangladesh (Ahab) Moshiur Rahman Mollah of Parnanduali and Abul Kashem Mollah of Benga-Beroil villages in Magura sadar upazila, they could not collect any important information regarding their activities. They were later released on bail.

Police in Magura still believe there is no stronghold of Islamist outfit in the district but suspect a strong network of bombers like other parts of the country.

"So far our investigation says there is no stronghold or training camp of militant groups in Magura. But there may be a strong network which carried out the August 17 blasts," the SP said.

The SP, however, admitted the presence of two top cadres of HuJi and JMJB (Jagrata Muslim Janata, Bangladesh) and said police hunt was also on to track down the culprits.

According to sources in the intelligence agencies, police and locals, Abu Sufian, 45, a top cadre of HuJi, hailed from Khamarpara village in Sreepur upazila, was arrested earlier by army men along with 39 other militants when he was training them in a jungle in Rangamati district. He was convicted in the case but later released on bail following an order from the higher court.

Sources said, Sufian is also a suspect in the August 17 blasts in Magura. He fought against Soviet soldiers in Afghanistan as a ' Mujahid'. Sufian fled home after the August 17 blast and was arrested again when he tried to go to Afghanistan. This time also he was released on bail.

Intelligence agencies also have identified another militant, Yousuf, 25, an alleged cadre of JMJB. Son of Dabir Munshi of village Madhabpur in Magura Sadar upazila, he reportedly went to Rajshahi about six months ago and took training at a JMJB camp.

He is also absconding after the August 17 blast incident. Police said they are also hunting for Yousuf.