‘Bangla Minister’s views not those of government’

Bangladesh's Foreign Minister, Morshed Khan, clarified on Monday that the allegation made by Industries Minister Motiur Rehman Nizami of Ind...

Bangladesh’s Foreign Minister, Morshed Khan, clarified on Monday that the allegation made by Industries Minister Motiur Rehman Nizami of India’s involvement in the August 17 blasts was his ‘‘personal’’ view and not that of the government. India had reacted strongly to Nizami’s remarks, terming them ‘‘unfounded and irresponsible.’’

Khan also said Bangladesh will not hesitate to seek foreign assistance ‘‘if needed’’ to probe the serial bomb blasts. Asked if he admitted the failure of the country’s intelligence agencies, he said ‘‘I cannot say they were successful.’’

Meanwhile, on Monday, the elite Rapid Action Battalion of the Bangladesh police arrested a former Director General of the state-owned Islamic Foundation, Maulana Fariduddin Masood, in connection with the serial blasts in the country, even as investigators stepped up a nation-wide manhunt for the two main perpetrators of the attack.

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Police suspected that Masood might have links with the Jammat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh, implicated in the serial blasts.

Police have also stepped up the hunt for Sheikh Abdur Rahman, the suspected mastermind of the serial blasts, and for Siddiqur Rahman alias ‘Bangla Bhai.’

So far over 130 people have been arrested and many of them have confessed that they were members of the banned outfit and that Abdur Rahman was their leader, security sources said. Law enforces are keeping a strong watch on Abdur Rahman’s madrassa in Jamalpur. A list of 400 members of the banned JMB has also been distributed among the police, Rapid Action Battalion and intelligence agencies in all districts. —PTI

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