Bomb blast: Terms of reference for inquiry

It seems that utmost importance is being given to this one incident only. During the last few years, at least sixteen bombings took place in the country, and a huge quantity of arms, ammunition, and explosives were captured during the last one year period, but unfortunately, due importance to that has not been paid to these other incidents.

Since an attempt on the life of a top party leader was made and a very important political leader died in the grenade attack that also killed and injured many party members, August 21 became a national issue. Prior to this, all bombing and related incidents were more or less ignored, although those also needed to be given utmost importance from a national point of view.

To recapitulate the past incidents of bombing, the first bomb attack took place in 1999, in a cinema hall in Jessore. One Mr. Iqbal Kabir who lost both of his legs in that attack and many more were injured. Next was a cinema hall at Mymensingh where the manager Mr. Phool Babu lost one of his legs and many others were also injured.

Another attack took place on cinema halls in Sylhet. After that, an attempt was made to kill the British High commissioner in Sylhet. Until that time, in all these bombing incidents, home-made bombs were used which were not so lethal. Recently an army grenade is believed to have been thrown at a meeting of the Awami League in Sylhet where one Awami League leader was killed and many more seriously injured.

One of the most important issues the government has ignored is the capture and finding of huge amounts of arms and ammunition smuggled into the country. The cache found in Bogra had magazines of latest military weapons and masses of ammunition used by the military. Vehicles and the dumping spot were located, but no one was taken to task and no further news came up in public.

In Badda (Dhaka) area some military rifles and army grenades were captured along with some agents/gun runners. No further news was heard about these, although there should have been a clear press note from the government or agencies for public consumption. Little importance was given by the authorities to the capture of those military model weapons although people of the country were very much concerned and wanted to know the facts.

In the southern part of Chittagong district a good number of military weapons were captured (not from CHT insurgents) from various groups. They were identified as supporters of some political groups. Also a good number of army grenades of similar type (used on August 21) were found in Khulna.

In the recent past how ten truck loads of weapons and ammunition entered Chittagong port, an international sea port, in a clandestine manner, not only became the talk of the country, but also of our neighbours and many other countries. The consignment was unloaded at a government jetty and captured while being dispatched to its destination through main city streets. How could the culprits managed to fool all the intelligence agencies present in the port area like port intelligence, customs intelligence, Coast Guard, SB, NSI, DGFI, etc?

All these issues became a mystery in the eyes of our own people and diplomats alike.

Last of all, the rise of the so-called Bangla Bhai has baffled the people of the country. Some say this upsurge is carried out with the blessings of some political party. These cadres live off the ground and force the local people to follow the extreme Islamic code of life, preached by fanatics in countries like Afghanistan. No moderate Muslim country practices such an extreme code of life today. In the past, Bangladeshi Muslims always discarded such fanaticism.

In 1972, the government tackled all these miscreants with ill equipped meager resources of military forces. Could the government not do the same today with the help of the army or BDR?

In the news media, it was reported that in some places the influence of the Sharbahara party existed. There police sought the help of those unauthorised Bangle Bhai cadres to counter the Sharbahara party cadres. Many newspapers not only published news about the activities of Bangla Bhai cadres, but also printed the photographs of its leader Bangla Bhai and also the photo of a victim executed by him, whose body was hanged upside down after killing. The government should have given a rejoinder on this to clear the air.

My sincere advice to the authorities would be to take all the issues in totality instead of dealing with the bombing at Awami League gathering on August 21 in isolation.

The terms of reference should be more elaborate to cover all these issues to bring out the facts and figures in a comprehensive manner. It should cover the source/origin of country of export, smuggler (importer), distributor, and user of these lethal weapons. Godfathers must be identified. For this reason I should say that the terms of reference should cover:

a) The source and origin of the country of export of all the new military weapons captured. Destination and likely end user of the weapons, ammunitions, grenades, and explosives.

b) Identifying the group (or groups) involved in bombing in all the places at Jessore, Mymensingh, Sylhet, and Dhaka.

c) Type of bomb/explosives used in that attack. It is believed that army grenades were used in Sylhet at the meeting where an Awami League leader was killed and also on August 21. Confirming the type and country of production of those grenades.

d) Identical type of grenades were used on August 21 and found inside Dhaka Central Jail. These were found next to some condemned prisoners cells. The link between the two may give some clue.

e) Bangla Bhai issue may also be investigated.

f) Last of all, the role of all political as well as law enforcing agencies to enforce law and order as well as enforcing security of the people and the properties must be brought out during investigations.

g) During most of the incidences like throwing bomb at British High Commissioner, Awami League gathering at Sylhet and Dhaka, adequate police protection was provided. Why did the police fail?

We should not be too happy to see Interpol. Interpol keeps track of human trafficking, drugs, arms runners, clandestine mercenary operations, etc. They are incapable of carrying out intricate investigations, but can always recommend utilisation of efficient organisations for successful investigations.

We positively need the help of efficient organisations like Scotland Yard, or of some European countries, if not the FBI. A reputed international crime investigation department along with Interpol supported by local police and other intelligence agencies can really track down the source and origin of these arms and grenades shipped to Chittagong, Badda, and Bogra. It should be able to trace back the receiving agencies and the godfathers here in Bangladesh, provided our agencies give full cooperation.

Many people are sensitive to the involvement of FBI in the country for such an investigation because of US intelligence agencies clandestine operations in the internal politics of some countries. In spite of this, one must agree that it is the US intelligence agencies which have the access and capabilities to unearth the arms and drug running groups in any country of the world.

If we leave the authority of investigation to our local agencies to reveal the truth, we may not get anywhere. Full authority should be given to the FBI or Scotland Yard to prepare the investigation report and make it public. The people are anxiously awaiting the outcome.

The government should not confine the inquiry only to the incident of August 21, but deal with that in total perspective. If not handled that way, only the tip of a cancerous mole will be removed, but the cancer will spread internally to destroy the body soon

The people have lost confidence, not only in our leaders, but also in our ability to live in safety. Everyone is asking the question: Is there security of our life in this country?

The first and foremost task of the government will be to revive the sense of security amongst its own people. Then to tell the world community that it is a safe country to travel to and do business with. The recent flood has already taken its toll on our economy and the bomb culture could take the rest of it.

The writer served as Director Military Operations in AHQs and also served as Bangladesh Ambassador in many countries.