Taj to be extradited: Pretoria to ink treaty with Dhaka

One of the charge sheeted accused in August-21 grenade attack case – Maulana Tajuddin Ahmed – has been staying in South Africa. There has been some mentionable progress in bringing him back to Bangladesh for trial in the two cases filed over the grenade attack on an Awami League rally in Dhaka that left over 100 dead and 500 injured, sources concerned said on Friday. They said Maulana Tajuddin, brother of former deputy minister in the BNP-led four-party alliance government – Abdus Salam Pintu – who is now in a prison in Bangladesh. Pintu is also an accused in the grenade attack case. A reliable source in the government said South Africa has agreed to send back Maulana Tajuddin to Bangladesh and for this they want to sign an extradition treaty with Dhaka. Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal was recently quoted by some media as saying that Pretoria would sign an extradition treaty with Bangladesh. He told this to reporters after holding a meeting with a South Africa delegation. A delegation, led by South Africa’s deputy minister for the Department of International Relations and Development Nomaindiya Mfeketo has visited Dhaka. Besides, Rajarbagh police headquarters’ assistant inspector general (AIG-NCB) Mahbubur Rahman was quoted by a local media as saying that the Bangladesh police has informed diplomatic channels after completion of all the process to bring other charge-sheeted accused in the August 21 grenade attack case who are hiding in the United Kingdom, including London. He said red alert has been issued against the absconding accused through Interpol. Banned Islamist group Harkat-ul Jihad’s leader Mufti Hannan is another key suspect in the case. He is currently behind bars. But police could not know whereabouts of other 16 fugitive accused in the case. The appeal to South Africa has been made after authorities came to know from Interpol that Tajuddin has been living in that country. The two countries will need to sign an extradition treaty to proceed further. If it happens, it will be a major development to bring the people behind the politically sensitive case to light as the attack on the public rally of the then opposition leader Sheikh Hasina left scores dead and hundreds injured. At least 13 grenades were thrown targeting Sheikh Hasina who was the chief guest at the rally held in front of the AL headquarters in Bangabandhu Avenue in 2004, according to a news agency.
- biplab