The chief of counter terrorism and transnational crime (CTTC) and additional commissioner Md Asaduzzaman said they have identified the mastermind who led a group in snatching away the two death row convicts from the court premises in Dhaka on Sunday.
Apart from the leader, they have traced some members of the group.
Md Asaduzzaman came up with the development on Monday evening at a press briefing at Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) media centre. He said efforts are underway to arrest them. They planned to snatch the two militants as they were ‘very important’ to the outfit.
Replying to a question, the additional commissioner said 10 to 12 people were involved in snatching the convicts and attacking police.
When asked whether the escaped convicts have already left the country, Asaduzzaman said, “We are on alert so that they cannot flee the country through border.”
Two militants, who were awarded death sentence in murder cases filed over the murder of Jagriti Prokashoni’s Foysal Arefin Dipan and blogger Avijit Roy, were snatched away from court premises in Old Dhaka on Sunday.
The two are – Moinul Hasan Shamim alias Sifat Samir, from Madhabpur village in Chhatak upazila, Sunamganj and Md Abu Siddique Sohel alias Sakib from Bheteshwar village in Aditmari upazila in Lalmonirhat.
Following the incident, a 'red alert' has been issued across the country in an attempt to capture them. Apart from this, an award of Tk two million has been announced on providing information for tracing the convicts.
A five-member probe body was formed over the incident.
DMP commissioner Khandaker Golam Faruq formed this committee which will be led by the additional police commissioner (crime and operation) with joint commissioner (operations), joint commissioner (CTTC), deputy commissioner (detective, Lalbagh) and additional deputy commissioner (CRO) as members.
The committee has been asked to submit the report in three days in which they will have to identify the persons responsible and recommend future plans and actions in such circumstances.