Former Tala upazila Jatiyatabadi Juba Dal president Badruzzaman Badru, a accused in the case, in his statement before a Magistrate Thursday night confess to his involvement in the murder, investigation officer of the case Inspector Hari Pada Biswas told this correspondent yesterday. The statement was made under Section 164 of BPC.

He (Badru) also disclosed names of others involved, the IO said but declined to disclose their names in the interest of investigation.

"The case has taken a new turn after the statement. Wait, you will get all the information soon", the IO told this correspondent over cell phone yesterday.

Tala upaszila BNP president ABM Altaf Hossain was killed at Panchrasta intersection at Patkelghata Bazaar in the upazila in a bomb attack on the night of May 4, 2004.

The murder triggered public protests in Tala upazila and created rift in the then ruling BNP in Satkhira.

Joint forces arrested Badruzza-man Badru, a close aide to former BNP lawmaker Habibul Islam Habib, from Patkelghata on December 30. Badru is also known as a top terror in the area.

During primary interrogation, he told law enforcers that he along with others killed Altaf Hossain on the night of May 4 in 2004.

Later he was handed over to the investigation officer (IO) of the case Inspector Hari Pada Biswas of Criminal Investigation Department (CID), who produced him before the court of Magistrate Saidur Rahman. The magistrate recorded Badru's statement.

"We killed him (ABM Altaf Hossain) due to political rivalry,", he said in his statement, according to the IO.

Badru also disclosed names of 16 others involved directly or indirectly in the murder, other sources said.

They include a principal of a college, a joint secretary of Satkhira district BNP, a Union Parishad chairman, a BNP activist and two outlaws, according to the sources.

Slain Altaf Hossain's wife Rehena Khanam at a press conference on November 2 last year alleged that intra-party feud in BNP led to the murder of her husband.

"He was killed as per a plan by some BNP leaders including former lawmaker Habib.

"To save themselves, the killers and masterminds got a case filed by Abdur Rahman, son of Fazar Ali of Senergati village, as the complainant. Abdur Rahman is an accused in several cases for theft and extortion. The case was filed without taking our permission", she told the press conference.

"Some innocent people including businessman Biswajit Sadhu, president of Satkhira district Krishak League and Juba League leader Hillol were named as accused in the case filed with Tala thana", she said.

The slain leader's mother Mariam Begum, at another press conference on November 5 at Patkelghata, also accused Satkhira district BNP convenor and immediate past lawmaker Habibul Islam Habib as the mastermind behind her son's murder.

"I could not demand justice and punishment of the killers of my son during the rule of BNP-led four-party alliance government fearing retaliation by the former lawmaker and his accomplices", she alleged at the press conference.

"Godfathers are still active to save the killers and hinder justice", 75 year-old Mariam Begum said.

After the murder, local people brought out several processions and held rallies demanding arrest and punishment of the killers.

On contact, Habibul Islam Habib denied the allegation and said that during his tenure, he tried his best to complete the investigation and demanded punishment of the killers.

The accused college principal and the UP chairman refuted the allegations of involvement in the murder. They claimed that a vested quarter was trying to implicate them in the case to harass them.