Café attack charge sheet by this year

Police yesterday said they were expecting to submit the charge-sheet in the Gulshan café attack case by the end of this year.

“I hope we'll be able to complete the probe into the Gulshan café attack by the end of this year,” said Monirul Islam, chief of the DMP's Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime (CTTC) unit.

He said they so far found involvement of 20 to 22 people in the country's worst ever terrorist attack on July 1 last year.

Talking to reporters after a briefing at the media centre of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP), the CTTC chief said they would submit the charge-sheet after having a clear idea about the others involved.

“We have information about several others who might have been involved in the attack. We are verifying the information.”

According to Monirul, a total of 30 to 35 people might be involved in the attack. Among them are some who have been killed in several anti-militancy drives since July 1 last year. 

They include masterminds behind the attack Tamim Ahmed Chowdhury and Nurul Islam Marjan, top “Neo JMB” leader Sarwar Jahan, Tanvir Kaderi, Major (retd) Jahid, Tarek, Abdullah, Faridul Islam Akash and five attackers -- Nibras Islam, Rohan Imtiaz, Meer Sabeh Mubasheer, Khairul Islam Payel and Shafiqul Islam Uzzal.

Monirul said three suspects in the case were arrested so far. They are Jahangir Alam alias Rajib Gandhi, arms supplier Mizanur Rahman alias Boro Mizan and Rakibul Hasan alias Rigan.

Besides, Hasnat Karim, a former teacher of North South University, is also behind bars as a suspect. Police were investigating whether he had any role in the attack.

Those who are still on the run are Sohel Mahfuz, Rashed alias Rash, Basharuzzaman Chocolate, Mizanur Rahman alias Choto Mizan, Abdus Samad alias Arif alias Mamu, Maynul Islam alias Musa and a doctor.

CTTC officials on Thursday arrested Maulana Abul Kashem, alleged “spiritual leader” of “Neo JMB”, an offshoot of the mainstream Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB). Investigators suspect that Kashem gave approval to militants to carry out the attack.

Monirul said during primary interrogation Kashem did not admit his link to the café attack.

 Twenty-two people, including 17 foreigners and two cops, were killed in the grisly attack. The over-12-hour café siege ended after a commando operation that left five terrorists and a café chef killed.