While SP Masud Mia continues to proclaim his innocence, a special police report last month identifies him as the man behind the police failure to nab Bangla Bhai, the country's top most wanted criminal.

Bangla Bhai himself came to Rajshahi along with his militant group to meet the SP at his office on April 24 last year, and local photojournalists captured the JMJB operations commander in frame while he was coming out of the office.

A television channel also aired the interviews of Bangla Bhai and the SP together in its 'exclusive' news.

Sources also quoted the SP as telling Prof Lutfar Rahman, the JMJB leader at Bagmara who led the JMJB's Rajshahi march on May 23 last year, "I (SP) will be always with your (JMJB) movement as I am with now."

Fazle Hossain Badsha, politburo member of the Workers' Party, has also alleged Masud's close link with Bangla Bhai, quoting local people.

Some government high-ups asked higher police authorities a few months back to investigate the allegations following repeated reports by the intelligence branches.

Following the investigation, the special report stated that Bangla Bhai escaped police arrest on various occasions -- even after the order of Prime Minister Khaleda Zia -- due to the 'unwillingness of that very SP.' "He (Mia) let Bangla Bhai get away," it said.

The report also stated that the SP himself confessed to his links with Bangla Bhai before investigating officials and failed to defend the allegations brought against him.

"As he is an rank-holding official, a lenient view might be taken on his admission of guilt," a senior official, forwarding the report to the top level, wrote.

Various sources also told of police administration's inaction during Bangla Bhai's reign of terror. A gram police at Hamirkutsa bazaar in Bagmara village, for example, said he saw policemen beside Bangla's camp, where tortures occurred.

Local people also told this correspondent during his several visits to Bagmara, Raninagar and Atrai upazilas in the last two months that the killings and tortures at the hand of Bangla Bhai and his men occurred in the presence of police and many villagers.

"Bangla tortured outlaws, calling people to witness. Sometimes, police took away the injured persons from Bangla's camp," he said.

The Daily Star spoke with Masud Mia for an hour at his office on Sunday noon when he denied the allegations against him.

Asked about JMJB, Mia countered with his own question, "Is JMJB any registered organisation? Where did you get that name? People were being killed one after another. Do you hear of any killings now?"

He continued, "Why would I help Bangla Bhai? He is a criminal. You made him the most powerful criminal. So where is he hiding now? It is only you (journalists) who are writing news after news on Bangla Bhai based on pre-physiological concepts," he said.

Asked to comment on the special police report, Mia questioned the manner in which it was obtained. "You (journalists) must have supplied the allegations against me."

Mia also denied his meeting with Bangla Bhai, saying that the allegations were false and that the photos were artificially prepared. Photojournalists concerned, however, have told The Daily Star that they have the bromide copies of the photos.

Asked to explain why, on May 23, 2004, he greeted Prof Lutfar, who he is now looking for, Mia responded, "Lutfar didn't commit any crime then. He is now wanted in Mahbub murder case."

At one stage, he, however, said, "You know well we can't always work with our own opinions."

Asked if his action was influenced by his superiors' instruction, he responded saying, "No."