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Journalism of Courage
Five Bangladeshi nationals were arrested by the Kolkata police a day after the serial blasts on August 17 but the Bangladesh High Commission was not told about it.
The arrested Bangladeshis are in judicial custody and their case is coming up for hearing on Thursday.
‘‘If you arrest a foreign citizen, you have to inform the concerned diplomatic mission. We have not received any information from the Indian authorities that these people have been arrested. This goes against the diplomatic norms and tradition. We will take it up with the Indian Government,’’ said Shakil Ahmed Biswas, First Secretary at the Bangladesh High Commission.
India and Bangladesh have been engaged in a war of words over the August 17 blasts and the new development could lead to another diplomatic impasse.
The Kolkata Police told the Metropolitan Magistrate’s Court that they had received information that many Bangladeshi criminals involved in the August 17 blasts ‘‘may flee to India for safe shelter and contact their henchmen hiding in India.’’ Accordingly, special vigil was mounted and the five were arrested while ‘‘moving suspiciously’’ on Free School Street.
‘‘They did not come on a tour. The passports they were carrying were allegedly handed over to them by the agent of one Babu Bhai who engaged them for some secret assignment in India, and, in exchange, promised them jobs in Dubai,’’ the police told the magistrate.
The police followed the five Bangladeshis, who had arrived at the Kolkata airport by a Biman flight, and picked them as they checked into Shabnam Hotel on Free School Street. The owner of Shabnam Hotel, Arfan Bibi, is missing.
Their case is scheduled to come up for hearing on October 6. Two lawyers from Bangladesh, Ashok Das and Abdul Rashid, who have been hired by the brother of one of the accused, Jalal Ahmed Shamim, were in Kolkata to arrange for defence counsel. Rashid maintained the arrested persons were innocent.
Pradip Chattopadhyay, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Special Branch of Kolkata Police, said: ‘‘We had definite information that a number of Bangladeshi criminals who had direct links with the serial blasts would try and sneak into West Bengal. We mounted vigil at several lodges and hotels, particularly those on Free School Street. We got hold of these five Bangladeshis who, it appeared, were carrying false passports and travel documents.’’
Bangladesh has held India responsible for the August 17 nationwide bombings—about 400 simultaneous blast in 63 districts rocked Bangladesh and one person was killed.
DG Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) Major General Mohammed Jahangir Alam Choudhury said in New Delhi that ‘‘explosives’’ and ‘‘people’’ behind the blast were from India. ‘‘Indian criminals who had crossed over are responsible for the blasts,” Chowdhury said. India termed his statement as a ‘‘baseless and scurrilous allegation.’’
