The two-member advance Interpol team on third day of their visit yesterday met with Bangladesh investigators at the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) office and finalised their preliminary assessment report, an investigator said wishing anonymity.

The advance team of Jeffry Eyles, an expert on public safety and terrorism affairs, and Jacqueline Pullums, a US analyst of civilian terrorism, also sent the report to Interpol headquarters in Lyon, France yesterday recommending the expertise needed for the high-profile investigation.

"Basing on the report Interpol will send an expert team of two or three members in Dhaka within a couple of days," said the investigator.

Eyles and Pullums during the around-two-hour-meeting with Bangladesh investigators also reviewed the evidence that local investigators gathered from the scene and video footage, news stories and photos of the deadly grenade attack before preparing the report.

Inspector General of Police Shahudul Haque, when reached by telephone, however, said he has no idea about the matter.

An Interpol media release dispatched from its headquarters said they will provide analytical, forensic and other services in the ongoing investigation to help Bangladesh police authorities identify and apprehend those responsible for killing 19 people and wounding some 200 others in the grisly attack.

A source said a CID team yesterday interviewed AL lawmaker Kazi Zafarullah and recorded his statement about what he saw during the carnage. The source could not however say where the AL legislator was interviewed.

The senior AL leader told The Daily Star on Monday that two youths launched the grenade attacks on the AL rally by throwing at least two grenades from the pavement between Ramna Bhaban and City Bhaban. He also claimed to have seen a tall, dark-complexioned youth throwing something at the truck from the footpath between Ramna Bhaban and City Bhaban.

JUDICIAL BODY SPEAKS TO HASINA
The one-member Judicial Inquiry Commission yesterday sought an appointment with Leader of the Opposition and AL President Sheikh Hasina to speak to her about the attack.

A commission source said Justice Md Joynul Abedin spoke to Hasina by telephone for the appointment, which is yet to be fixed.

The AL sources said he may inspect the bulletproof sports utility vehicle of Hasina, which was riddled with bullets and grenade shrapnel while carrying her to safety.

The commission visited Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University yesterday evening and recorded statements of some of the carnage victims. Besides, the commission listed names of two witnesses to the bomb blasts till 2:00pm.

The commission will make the list for two more days and ask those on the list to come up with information at its office at 2/A, Circuit House Road, Kakrail for official record.