Fugitive militants to be nabbed soon: Home minister
Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal today said that law enforcers will soon nab the two death row militants, who fled from the court premises earlier today.
Meanwhile, the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) has issued a red alert in the city and Inspector General of Police (IGP) Chowdhury Abdullalh Al Mamun, on behalf of the police, declared a Tk10 lakh bounty for each of them.
"We have earlier arrested some militants including the death penalty awarded Abu Siddiq and Mainul Hasan. They were snatched away from the court premises after spraying pepper chemical," the minister told the reporters at his office this afternoon.
The minister said the police have already set up check posts at different strategic points of the city as well as the borders to stop the convicted militants who were sentenced to death in the publisher Faisal Arefin Dipon murder case.
The militants are Abu Siddiq and Mainul Hasan, both are the activists of Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB).
Kamal said that the police brought them in to produce them before the court in connection with a murder case and kept them in court custody.
Afterward, they were being taken to a certain room from where some of their close associates ran away with them after spraying pepper chemicals on the policemen.
"We have issued a red alert as soon as the incident happened. Our police are desperately looking for them. We believe, we will nab them soon," he added.
He also asked the law enforcers responsible for border security to take appropriate measures as the militants could not cross the borders, the minister said.
"This is a sad incident. If any negligence was found related to this incident and anyone did this intentionally, we will take stern action against them. Of course, we will form a probe committee and will take action accordingly," Kamal said.
Replying to a question, he said, "We have taken this seriously. Militants became active but we brought them under control."
According to the High Court's directives, the shackles and handcuffs should be removed from the death row convicts while being taken to court.
The minister said he can not give details before completion of the investigation into the incident.