Committed to PEOPLE'S RIGHT TO KNOW
Vol. 5 Num 132 Tue. October 05, 2004  
   
Front Page


Jay concerned at grenade attack, deaths in Rab action


British Permanent Undersecretary of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) Sir Michael Jay yesterday expressed concern over the May 21 grenade attack on the British high commissioner, deaths in Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) operations and the possibility of criminals in Bangladesh going across borders.

Sir Jay, head of the diplomatic service at the FCO, has handed over the forensic report by Scotland Yard to State Minister for Home Affairs Lutfozzaman Babar on findings collected from the spot of the attack on British High Commissioner Anwar Chowdhury in Sylhet.

Emerging from a meeting with Jay at the home ministry, Babar told newspersons that "We've got the forensic report and will examine it to get a successful outcome."

Jay told reporters that Britain hopes for a quick end to the investigation and the assailants to be brought to justice.

On the law and order, Jay said free movement of criminals in Bangladesh "is a matter of concern as they (criminals) are becoming extremely good at getting across High Commissioner in Dhaka Anwar Chowdhury, Head of the South Asia Department at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office Stephen Smith and Political Councilor Allan Shaw.

In response to Jay's views, the Awami League (AL) leadership told him that after the August 21 carnage, they went to parliament and wanted an 'institutional dialogue' on it, but the government did not allow.

"If the opposition is not given the minimum space to function, how could democracy flourish?" Political Secretary to the AL president Saber Hossain Chowdhury quoted the meeting as saying.

Saber said besides the August 21 grenade blasts, the huge arms hauls in Chittagong and Bogra and grenade attack on British envoy Anwar Chowdhury were among the other issues discussed.

The AL side told the British delegation that these incidents are not isolated, but rather intertwined.

"They told us that they would communicate their concern about these incidents to the government", Saber added.

The AL leaders also told that the government remains indifferent to extremist Islamic groups though they (extremists) are a clear and present danger to the nation.

"If the government were sincere enough, they would have at least acknowledged the existence of the terrorist outfits," Saber said adding that, it will not be possible to combat terrorism as long as the government is in a denial mode.

AL leaders Abdul Jalil, Kazi Jafarullah, Saber Hossain Chowdhury, Syed Abul Hossain and former diplomats Mahmud Ali and M Ziauddin aided the opposition leader.