Punish militant kingpins, their godfathers

JMB victims (from left) Haider, Yadav Das and Shelly

Eight people including cultural activists were killed and about 50 injured when JMB suicide bombers basted two bombs in front Udichi office in the town on December 8.

JMB chief Abdur Rahaman and its second-in-command Bangla Bhai are the main accused in two cases filed in connection with suicide bombings.

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Talking to this correspondent, families of the victims said the two JMB kingpins on whose orders innocent people were killed deserve the most severe punishment under law.

Shahanaj Begum, wife of Netrakona Udichi leader Khaja Hider said, "I do not want any help from government. I want that the two dreaded criminals be hanged as JMB cadres killed my husband on their orders".

Sunil Chandra Paul, father of cultural activist Sudipta Paul Shelly, also demanded capital punishment to Abdur Rahman and Bangla Bhai.

Similar sentiment was expressed by Sattyan Das, father of suicide bomb victim Yadav Das and Parvin Akter, wife of Raisuddin.

"They should be killed in the way they killed others", Parvin Akter said.

"JMB killed my son, I want JMB leaders Abdur Rahaman and Bangla Bhai be hanged", said Ambia Khatun, mother of another victim Aftabuddin.

The victims families also demanded that political leaders who sheltered the JMB kingpins be identified and punished. JMB could not have operated without backing of any party in power, they claimed.

The victims' families are also critical of the role of police in investigating the suicide attacks.

Police could not arrest any of the culprits in three months. Instead, they tried to prove that Yadav Dasm, killed in one of the blasts, was a JMB bomber, they said.

Netrakona Sadar thana Officer-in-Charge Samiul Alam however denied the allegation. "We are probing the incident. We will soon interrogate Abdur Rahman and Bangla Bhai", he said.

He said court ahas given permission and Sub Inspector (SI) Mohammad Alauddin, investigation officer (IO) of the two cases, will go to Dhaka soon to interrogate Abdur Rahaman and Bangla Bhai.

"We hope to get important information from them", the OC said.