Assassination attempt on the key leaders of Nirmul Committee
Writer-journalist Shahriar Kabir and five leaders of Ekatturer Ghatak Dalal Nirmul Committee suffered critical injuries and another died as their microbus turned upside down in Saidpur yesterday. Abdul Hakim Piyal, 42, a Dhaka City leader of Nirmul Committee, died at Saidpur General Hospital minutes after admission. The injured, apart from Shahriar, president of the Nirmul Committee, are Kazi Mukul, general secretary, Apu Singh, Kazi Biplab and Sheikh Miju, all Dhaka city leaders, and Babu, driver of the microbus. Refused admission at Saidpur and Rangpur combined military hospitals (CMHs), they were admitted to Rangpur Medical College and Hospital (RMCH) and a private clinic. The Nirmul Committee leaders were scheduled to attend a programme in Thakurgaon at 6:00pm yesterday. The driver of the vehicle lost control on the wheel when a rear tyre burst near Wapda on Saidpur bypass at 1:50pm, witnesses said.
The vehicle careered
across the road and fell into a paddy field when the driver tried to
avoid head-on collision with a motorcycle, they added. The occupants
of the microbus suffered severe injuries to their head, chest and
face as the vehicle was completely wrecked. After Piyal died at Saidpur hospital, the other
wounded were rushed to the CMHs in Saidpur and Rangpur where
authorities refused to admit them. They were later admitted to
Lifeline Community Hospital, a private clinic in Rangpur, from where
Miju and Apu were shifted to the RMCH as their condition
deteriorated. Miju and Apu did not regain consciousness, said RMCH
doctors at 7:30 last night. Shahriar sustained right-leg fracture
and injuries to his head and Mukul to his whole body.
The Daily Star
Vol. 5 Num 171 Fri. November 12, 2004
The Victims of the plotted accident: the key team members of Nirmul Committee
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TRANSLATION
An attempt to kill Shahriar Kabir Was it an arranged
accident?
Fazlul Bari : Was it that the road mishap was preplanned in order to
annihilate the leaders of the ‘Ghatok Dalal Nirmul Committee’ and
eminent columnist Shahriar Kabir along with his companions? Or was it a
case of subversion to thwart the visit of two New York Time’s
Journalist? Well-wishers and friends of Shahriar Kabir doubt so
observing the situation that took place on November 11-2004 and after,
because police has come out with bizarre gossips associating DGFI.
Saidpur combined Military Hospital disagreed to provide treatment to
such a renowned personality like Shahriar Kabir and his companions as a
result, Pial an co-passenger who was severely injured died!
Several days ago before this road mishap a story came out in Indian New
paper, “Pioneer” apprehending annihilation of Shahriar Kabir and few
other reputed writers and organizers. The report mentioned the name of a
special Advisor to the Prime Minister as a planner of such conspiracy.
Before publication of this news item a N.G.O personality of Bangladesh
came to know about such conspiracy. There are such instances of killing
that occurred in Algeria, South Africa and other countries. Shahriar
Kabir and his party were on his Way to Thakurgaon to participate in some
activities of ‘Ghatok Dalal Nirmul Committee’. They were scheduled to
halt at Thakurgaon on November 11, 2004 night and proceed to Birganj the
next day and return to Thakurgaon there after to participate in another
programme. They had a plan to help the freedom fighters who became a
victim of Monga (famine) and Eliza a Journalist of New York Times and
its photographer were to attend these programmes but before reaching
Thakurgaon the road mishap occurred and the seven passengers received
severe injuries.
Shahriar Kabir was sitting at front beside the driver. Kazi Mukul leader
of ‘Ghatok Dalal Nirmul Committee’, Pial and Kazi Biplob were occupying
the mid row Mizu and Apu on the back row. This trio Pial Biplob and Mizu
used to be constant companions of Shahriar Kabir in all such programmes
and due to this mishap Pial will never come back !! Others will haue to
live till the end of their lives with the mark of injuries!
We had a talk with Shahriar Kabir on Wednesday in the metropolitan
Hospital cabin at Mohakhali. He said that he is being targeted during
Eid-holidays. Recently he was followed and interrogated by several
Intelligence agencies on the visit of the New York Time journalists.
They also harassed him bringing allegation that he took the EEC envoys
to the Ahmedia mosque situated of Nakhalpara.
Shahriar Kabir said that since he was sitting at the front of the
Microbus he could see the entire situation himself where as the police
came out with a concocted story that the accident took place as the tyre
of the vehicle burst out and before that the police already involved the
DGFI. There was a video camera in the vehicle. Police said that all the
belongings will be returned except this camera because the DGFI has
already gave them a very strong order in this respect as such, under no
circumstances the video camera could be returned. Shahriar Kabir got
annoyed and angry. He told them that the camera is yet to be loaded with
film and they can investigate. The camera was to be used during our
programme/activities. However the police did not go far to seize the
camera. Shahriar Kabir asked the police about the motor cyclist. They
were taken aback and told where did he see motor cyclist !! It was a
case of tyre-burst!! Police was also pressing hard to submit in writing
that no case would be filed in a court on the death of Pial. Shahriar
Kabir protested very strongly saying Police or Pial’s relatives will
take such decision. Police did not however press further on the issue.
An amount of Taka One Lac was in the vehicle for distribution among the
Monga affected people. Police could not trace out this. They said that
in all probability the local villagers who first came to the spot have
picked up this amount. But Shahriar Kabir could not believe this
explanation because the local people came to save the lives of the
victims not to plunder.
Shahriar Kabir and his associates were admitted into the ‘Life Line’
after being refused admission by the combined Military Hospital at
Saidpur. The physicians of the Clinic gave whole night treatment.
Asaduzzaman Noor M.P. and J.S.D President Mr. Hasanul Huq Inu were
constantly on telephone line. The political parties and ‘Ghatok Dalal
Nirmul Committee’ of Rangpur and neighbouring districts including the
Journalists passed a dreadful night in the clinic. Prayers were held. On
12 November 2004 Shahriar Kabir and Kazi Mukul were brought back to
Dhaka by helicopter and before this other leaders of the Nirmul
committee started for Dhaka by road with the dead body and the injured
ones.
Shahriar Kabir said he earlier met with road accidents and because of
such experiences he this time covered his face and head strongly by his
hands as a result, could avoid head ‘injury but’ received severe right
hand and right leg fractures, upper wrist of the right hand badly
bruised and the bone above the knee has been fractured into 4 pieces.
Daily Janakantha, 18 November 2004
Fundamentalists lay siege to Dhaka's secular society
| Noted Bangladeshi writer
Humayun Azad, who was murdered in Munich, last Friday, had
escaped an attempt on his life in February this year. For
quite some time, his liberal leanings had made him the
target of the country's growing tribe of Islamic
fundamentalists. His death has confirmed what India and the
rest of the international community had been fearing for
quite some time: Bangladesh's civil society is under siege.
Recent months have seen a spate of death threats being issued by Islamic fundamentalists on secular and liberal intellectuals of Bangladesh. This is causing concern to the international diplomatic community. What is most shocking is the Khaleda Zia regime's indifference to the trend already set by the murder of two prominent journalists earlier this year and the attempt on the life of Azad. After recovering from his knife wounds, the writer had gone to Germany to undertake a research project on the romantic German writer Heinrich Heine "The number of militant outfits is increasing and very often we see persons close to the government acting as their spokespersons", a diplomat told The Pioneer. One of the most prominent names in this category is Mr Salahuddin Qader Chowdhury, the Advisor on Parliamentary Affairs to the Prime Minister. The activities of Chowdhury are understood to be under scanner for a long time. The Khaleda Zia Government has backed him for the post of Secretary-General of the Organisation of Islamic Countries, but he failed to get elected. On July 31, Chowdhury had presided over a meeting of Islamic extremists held at Sher-e-Bangla Nagar, Dhaka. At this meeting, sources say, a decision was taken to kill Mr Shahriyar Kabir, acting president of the Ghatak Dalal Nirmul Committee, Dr Kazi Faroque Ahmed, president of a group called "Proshika" which is linked to the opposition Awami League, and Mr Kazi Mukul, a freedom fighter. This development, observers comment, is taken most seriously because all the men targeted are well-known resisters of the growing clout enjoyed by fundamentalists. "They do carry out their threats - two journalists, Manik Saha and Humayun Kabir Balu, have already been killed and now we have Azad's murder which has been executed in distant Germany. This may vindicate those who believe that Bangladesh's fundamentalists are part of the Al-Qaeda's international network", a diplomat said. |
The situation is so serious
that the international media has started reporting and
commenting on these trends quite openly. For instance, Voice
of America, in a recent bulletin said that university
teachers, anti-fundamentalist politicians and journalists
are under siege in Bangladesh. The persons named as
belonging to the black list include Awami League MPs Abdur
Razzaq and Tofail Ahmed, Workers' Party president Rashed
Khan Menon and teachers Muntasir Mamun and Shahriar Kabir.
These people have been served letters stating they would be
"executed in public". The letters also laid bare their
senders' plans to hoist the "flags of Islam and Bangladesh
soaked in their blood". Mrs Zia came to power with a landslide verdict in October 2001, with the backing of the hardcore Islamist Jamaat-e-Islami and Islami Oikya Jot. The timing of her victory coincided with the beginning of the United States -led global war against terrorism. Most anti-terrorism experts hold that Al-Qaeda elements fleeing Afghanistan in the aftermath of the coalition forces' attack established several modules inside Bangladesh. The Dhaka establishment either looked the other way or colluded to make this possible, sources say. The suspected involvement of Salahuddin Qader Chowdhury holds out an additional threat. A former collaborator with the Pakistani Army in 1971, Chowdhury is understood to enjoy the patronage of the Pakistani ISI. He owns a shipping firm called "QC Shipping" which is often used to ship arms meant for militant groups operating in India's North-East. On April 22, US intelligence tipped off the Bangladeshi Navy and forced the latter to seize a ship of Chowdhury's lines. Guns and bombs worth $ four million were found in it. Yet Chowdhury continues to walk a free man. |
Udayan Namboodiri/ New Delhi The Pioneer 20 Aug
2004
Local Bangla media coverage on the assassination attempt on Nirmul Committee activists
Microbus In the Ditch. 5 Including Shahriar Kabir
Wounded, one student leader killed
Tahmina Hoq/MA Mannan : From Nilphamary : In a road accident one student
leader has died, 5 grievously injured including eminent columnist Mr.
Shahriar Kabir. The accident took place in the Nilphamary-Saidpur bypass
road on Thursday noon. The dead student leader is Pial (32) and the
injured persons are the General Secretary of the ‘Ghatok Dalal Nirmul
Committee’ Kazi Atiqur Rahman alias Kazi Mukul (48), Apu Singha (35)
free lance Photo Journalist Kazi Biplob (27) and Sheikh Mizu (30)
Rescued by local people the victims were taken first to the 50 bed
hospital at Saidpur and later to a clinic at Rangpur. Mr. Shahriar Kabir
and his companions were on their way to Thakurgaon to see the condition
of the ‘Monga’ (famine) affected people of the North by a Microbus
(Dhaka Metro-cha-11-3314). A motor cycle suddenly appeared before the
speeding Microbus at Dangapara on the Saidpur by-pass road and While
trying to same the Motor cyclist the driver Mr. Babu of the ill-fated
Microbus lost control and the vehicle turned turtle in the road side
ditch. The driver of the vehicle remained un-hurt. The student leader
Mr. Pial died in the hospital at Saidpur and the wounded persons were
taken and admitted into the Life Line Clinic at Rangpur. Hearing the
alarming news Mr. Amjad Hossain Sarker Member of Parliament of the
constituency no-4 of Nilphamary belonging to BNP (ruling party) and
‘Awami League’ leader and chairman of Saidpur Municipality Mr. Akhtar
Hossain Badal and others rushed to the hospital.
Mr. Manik Sarker informed from Rangpur that Shahriar Kabir and Kazi
Mukul are out of danger but Sheikh Mizu and Apu Singha are in a serious
condition. The wounded persons were to be admitted into the CMH (Army)
but the hospital anthonity refused with a plea of shortage of beds,
later the wounded persons were admitted into ‘Life Line Clinic’ at about
6 PM next day. The clinic medicos informed that the condition of
Shahriar Kabir, Kazi Mukul and Biplob were out of danger though the
right leg of Shahriar Kabir has severely fractured, Kazi Mukul has head
injury with broken feet and Biplob received minor injury. Sheikh Mizu
and Apu Singha received severe head injury so were taken to Rangpur
Medical College. It is learnt from the Medical sources of the Rangpur
Medical College that the condition of the both are extremely critical.
All the wounded persons will be flown to Dhaka by a special helicopter
Friday today.
Daily Janakantha, 12 November 2004
Medical Board advised Shahriar Kabir to go abroad for treatment
Staff Reporter : The medical board consisting of 5 doctors has advised
to send Shahriar Kabir abroad for treatment who was severely injured in
a planned Microbus accident on November 11 2004 near Saidpur highway.
The bone of his right leg has fractured into 4 pcs. The injury of the
right wrist and waist line is of serious nature. Friday (today) his leg
will be operated upon again.
Due to this accident Mr. Abdul Hakim Pial succumbed to his injury and the central leader Kazi Mukul of the Nirmul Committee along with 6 other achieved severe injuries. Since belonging to dissenting group ie not the supporters of the present ruling party, Shahriar and his companions were not given the first aid or emergency treatment by the combined Military Hospitals of Saidpur and Rangpur. The Police came out first with a story of tyre-burst. Now it has been revealed that a motor cyclist with a companion suddenly came before the running microbus so police is now coming out with a different story to the effect that the motor cyclist with his companion are members of Jubo-league!! Watching such baleful activities of Police the concerned circles of Nilphamary and Rangpur have expressed annoyances.
The Member of Parliament of Saidpur Amjad Hossain Sarker, Chairman of
the Saidpur Municipality Mr. Akhtar Hossain Badal, local leaders of all
political parties, Freedom Fighters, Journalists members of different
professions played an important role in saving the lives of the victims.
Shahriar Kabir and members of the Nirmul Committee expressed deep
gratitudes to such kind hearted personalities of Saidpur and Rangpur.
Mr. Kabir Chowdhury the National Professor, the anti-communal forum of
South Asia and the members of the ‘Ghatok Dalal Nirmul Committee’ haue
severely condemned this planned conspiracy to eliminate Shahriar Kabir,
Kazi Mukul and others by staging a road accident. The leaders said that
they are stunned to see the News Papers report on the incident and such
report was published in the foreign newspaper earlier. Two days before
the accident took place, government’s appeal to cancel the bail order of
Shahriar has been rejected by the supreme court!! They also condemned
the Government and the Army for not providing medical treatments to the
victims an example of extreme inhuman acts. They paid deep condolences
to the family of Abdul Hakim Pial and prayed for speedy recovery the
wounded persons.
This statement has been signed by Hena Das, Barrister Shawkat Ali Khan,
Archtect Mazharul Islam, Poet Shamsur Rahman Justice K.M. Sobhan,
Advoctate Gaziul Haque, Kalim Sharafi, Maj. Gen. CR Dutt (Rtd),
Professor Borhanuddin Khan Jahangir, Barrister Shafique Ahmed, Kamal
Lohani, Hassan Azizul Haque, Quayum Chowdhury, Syed Shamsul Haque,
Anupom Sen, Anwara Syeda Haque, Waliur Rahman, Razia Matin Chowdhury,
Ferdousy Priyobhashiny and Sultana Kamal.
Daily Janakantha, 19 November 2004
A Conspiracy to resist the Secularism in Bangladesh is being
Implemented?
Janakantha Report : Is the plan to resist Secularism in Bangladesh is in
the offing? Such question has arisen in the mind of secular politicians,
intellectuals and teachers. Death warrant has been issued against them.
Bombing in the Awami league meeting on 21st August 2004 and the recent
planned accident against Shahriar Kabir and others give vent to such
questions. A news item published in an Indian news paper deserve close
attention. On the other side, an article written by ex Army chief of
staff Gen. Atique has given rise to criticism and discussions from a
different angle. This article has been published in two dailies who are
close supporters of the present Govt. though no allegation has been
brought, he argued that Army was not responsible for the bomb blast of
11th August 2004.
Once he was a confidante of Gen. Ershad who later tried to come close to
Awami league why after a long time a big has published this article has
become question mark. The ‘Pioneer’ of India published on 20th August
2004 an article named and styled as “Fundamentalist lay seize to Dhaka’s
secular society. Mentioning the name of an influential politician the
article stated that he presided over a meeting of Islamic
Fundamentalists on 31st July-on at Sher-e-Banglanagar. In the meeting a
decision was taken to eliminate physically Shahriar Kabir, Kazi Mukul
and Proshika Chairman Kazi Faruk Ahmed. After 3 months of the
publication of this news Shahriar Kabir and Kazi Mukul met with the road
accident may be as per plan or otherwise. CMH refused treatment to them
and Shahriar Kabir does not believe that it is a case of mere accident.
He believes this accident was preplanned in order to kill him. The
Pioneer also reported that this group warned journalist Manik Shaha and
Humayun Kabir Balu and in the meantime they have been killed. When the
1st attempt to kill professor Humayun Azad failed but such plan was
matured at Munic lates. The fundamentalist have black listed Awami
league leader Abdur Razzaque, Tofail Ahmed, Workers party leader Rashed
Khan Menon, Nirmul Committee Chairman Shahriar Kabir and some
‘University teachers. All these persons have received warning letters.
The report quoting a member of the diplomatic corp says “these incidents
proves that the fundamentalists of Bangladesh are operating as a part of
Al-Quaida Net Work. The ‘Pioneer’ also reported that this leader who
once cooperated with the Pak Army in 1971 is now patronising a foreign
Intelligence Agency. He has a shipping company against which allegation
of arm smuggling is there. He bothers a little and lives very
comfortably here.
Daily Janakantha, 25 November 2004
14 Party Alliance is unbearable to them, hence death threat
Staff Reporter : A certain quarter is grudgingly showing ominous sign
seeing an alliance being formed by few political parties who fought the
freedom fight under the leadership of Awami League. An organisation
namely Al-Islam Martyrs Brigade has dubbed this unity as unity of
atheists and ‘Murtads’. Not only this, they have awarded death sentence
to ten very eminent personalities of the country through letters written
in red ink.
Apart from the leaders of the 14 parties that have formed Unity, two
editors also have been issued with death sentences including the editor
of daily Janakantha. The letter further contains that death sentences
will be carried out at any time.
Janakantha received the letter per mail on Sunday. The letter marked to
letters-desk is written in red ink. Even the address is written in Red
ink over the envelope, marking it as ‘URGENT’ at the left, bearing no
address or name of the sender. It is stated in the letter that
Janakantha should inform the nation that the unity under the banner of
14 parties is an act of atheists and ‘Murtads’ which will not be
tolerated. 10 persons are awarded with death sentences to be carried out
at any time. These persons are Atiqullah Khan Masud, Editor of
Janakantha, Abed Khan, Editor of Bhorer Kagoz, Abdur Razzak, Tofail
Ahmed and Abdul Jalil, Important central leaders of Awami League,
Mujahidul Islam Selim, General Secretary of CPB, Hasanul Haq Inu of JSD,
Rashed Khan Menon Chairman of Workers party, Shahriar Kabir and Kazi
Mukul, Central leaders of ‘Ghatok Dalal Nirmul Committee’ and these two
persons are now hospitalised due to road accident that occurred on
November 11, 2004 on their way to Thakurgaon.
Daily Janakantha, 29 November 2004