Raid on Abbas's House

Sahara promises action

29 June 2010, 18:00 PM

UNB, Dhaka

Home Minister Sahara Khatun has said action will be taken if the Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) engaged in any “unjust and unlawful” act inside the house of BNP leader Mirza Abbas during hartal hours on Sunday. “I didn't see but Rab and police went to Mirza Abbas' residence to detain him in a case filed against him the previous day,” she told reporters replying to a question at the Dhaka Medical College Hospital after visiting two burn patients who were injured during pre-hartal violence on Saturday night. Rab allegedly ransacked valuables and tortured Abbas' relatives, after entering his residence during the hartal hours on June 27. Referring to several vehicles in the capital being set on fire allegedly by pro-BNP activists on Saturday night, several hours before enforcing the main opposition BNP's declared countrywide dawn to dusk hartal, the home minister said an inquiry is being carried out in this regard. “We can find out who was involved in setting those vehicles on fire. Stern action will be taken against the perpetrators,” she said. The home minister also said the government will provide assistance to the injured people. Faruk Hossain 30, and his friend Sumon, 28, were admitted to the burn unit of DMCH after they received burn injuries when their private car was set on fire by pro-hartal activists near the Maghbazar level crossing at about 8:45pm on Saturday. When asked whether the BNP's student affairs secretary and lawmaker Shahid Uddin Chowdhury Annie will be released for treatment, Sahara said if his physicians recommend treatment abroad, he might be permitted. Annie is now undergoing treatment under police guard at United Hospital as he received injuries during a clash between pro-hartal and anti-hartal activists on Sunday. Earlier the home minister visited the policemen, who were injured during the hartal hours, at Rajarbagh police line at noon.