"An official like SP cannot support wild tortures on people by militants without any directives from the home ministry or big guns," said an elderly man at a tea stall.

In several interviews with the media in Rajshahi while he was SP, he said he was not doing any wrong by helping the militant outfit Jagrata Muslim Janata Bangladesh (JMJB) because he was acting under the guidance of higher officials.

The victims of torture by Bangla Bhai's group at Hamirkutsa, Goalkandi, Jugipara, Bhabaniganj and Palashi in Bagmara upazila expressed their joy at the dismissal of Masud.

They demanded his arrest on charge of backing the JMJB activists and action against the home ministry officials and local BNP leaders for guiding him.

Masud was dismissed on Tuesday for lapses in his duty, official sources said on Wednesday.

Masud was 'stand released' as SP on March 5 last year. The Daily Star ran a report on March 1 revealing documentary evidence of his supporting Bangla Bhai's activities.

In February last yea, a special police report to the high-ups in Dhaka and the ministry concerned said Masud Mia is the man behind police failure to nab Bangla Bhai.

Besides, the militant kingpin himself came to Rajshahi along with his militant group and met the then SP Masud at his office on April 24 in 2004.

The report said despite the prime minister's order to arrest Bangla Bhai, Masud allowed him to flee.

Talking to The Daily Star on February 27 last year at his office, Masud denied most of the allegations.

While receiving a JMJB memorandum during their Rajshahi march on May 23 in 2004, Masud told Prof Lutfar Rahman, now an arrestee, "I (SP) will always be with your (JMJB) movement as I am doing now."

Earlier, a two-member inquiry committee headed by home ministry deputy secretary Abdur Rouf visited Rajshahi and talked to a cross section of people and police officials.

The committee heard villagers of Bagmara upazila including the family of Abdul Bari, a businessman, who were fleeing their houses allegedly following police threats of 'crossfire'.

Abdul Bari and his wife Shafinun Nahar told journalists that Bangla Bhai and the SP (Masud), influenced by JMJB leader Mahtab Ali Khamaru chased and harassed them.

According to the probe report, officer-in-charge of Bagmara police station Golam Kibria said Masud demanded Tk 50,000 from him and as he refused, he (Masud) illegally ordered him to be 'closed' in the police lines.

Three others at the police station -- Rashedul, Nuru and Israfil- complained that they were suspended for their refusal to pay money to the SP.

Inspector Yusuf Ali told the probe body that he was kept 'closed' in the police lines for two months and was denied fresh posting as he could not pay money to Masud.

The probe report also said the SP collected huge amounts of money from police men through brokers for their transfer and fresh posting.