Even after 15 years of the horrified August 21 grenade attack, law enforcers have failed to trace out the absconding convicted killers. Political observers termed it as unpardonable negligence on the part of law enforcing agencies. Among the fugitives, the then BNP senior vice-chairman and former prime minister and BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia’s son, Tarique Rahman, is currently staying in the United Kingdom. According to intelligence sources, former BNP lawmaker Shah Mofazzal Hossain Kaikobad is in Thailand.
Intelligence officials claimed that the owner of Hanif (transport) Enterprise, Mohammad Hanif, is in India, Maj. Gen. (retd) ATM Amin is in the United States, Lt. Col. (retd) Saiful Islam Joarder is in Canada, Babu, alias Ratul Babu, is in India, Anisul Morsalin and his brother Mohibul Muttakin is in an Indian jail and Maulana Tajul Islam is in South Africa.
However, the intelligence could not yet find the whereabouts of Harris Chowdhury, political advisor to the then prime minister, Khaleda Zia, Maulana Tajuddin and Babu, who are brothers of the detained former deputy minister of the BNP government, Abdus Salam Pintu, who is also a charge-sheeted accused in the August 21 grenade attack case,
Militant leaders, Shafikur Rahman, Mufti Abdul Hai, Maulana Abu Bakar, Iqbal, Khalilur Rahman, Jahangir Alam, alias Badar, and Maulana Liton, alias Zobair, alias Delwar, former deputy commissioner (east) and deputy commissioner (south) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP), Md Obaidur Rahman and Khan Syed Hasan still remain untraced.
The officials only hinted that most of them are hiding in Pakistan to avoid punishment. Though the trial court delivered its verdict on October 10, 2018, the Supreme Court authorities yet to complete preparing paper book of the case for holding a hearing on jail appeals and death reference at High Court. However, Attorney General Mahbubey Alam said they would take initiative to start the hearing once the paper book gets ready.
About the fugitives, Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Anisul Huq said, “Not only Tarique Rahman, but the government is also trying to bring back all the fugitive convicts in the two cases.” Of the accused, war criminal kingpin and former minister and Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Matiur Rahman Nizami and its secretary-general and top war criminal, Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mojaheed were executed in a case of crimes against humanity committed during the War of Liberation in 1971.
Harkatul Jihad Bangladeshi (HuJIB) chief Mufti Abdul Hannan was executed in another grenade attack case on British High Commissioner in Sylhet. Former state minister for home Lutfozzaman Babar, ex-deputy minister Abdus Salam Pintu are in prison. Former inspectors general of police (IGPs) Ashraful Huda, Shahudul Haque, and Khoda Baksh Chowdhury, and three former investigation officers of the cases, ex-SP Ruhul Amin of CID, former ASPs of CID Atiqur Rahman, and Abdur Rashid have obtained bail.