August 21 bombing ‘investigation’ coninues . New theories shed by government MP amid arrival of Interpol and FBI

Ruling BNP lawmaker Nasiruddin Ahmed Pintu yesterday in parliament asked the government to interrogate Leader of the Opposition Sheikh Hasina, alleging that she is involved in all criminal activities in the country.

“Sheikh Hasina should be brought under interrogation to halt criminal activities as she is the mastermind of all criminal activities and patron of criminals,” Pintu said taking part in the discussion on the proposed budget for 2005-06.

The BNP lawmaker from Lalbagh hardly spoke on the budget but he fired a broadside at the Awami League (AL) chief and his party colleagues. “The motive behind the August 21 grenade attacks would be unearthed if Hasina is quizzed,” he said.

“Sheikh Hasina has become insane after the arrest of top terror Arman. She is making insensible statements about the August 21 grenade attacks,” he added.

The BNP lawmaker also demanded interrogation of his main competitor in the Dhaka-8 constituency, AL leader Hazi Mohammad Selim, and Dr HBM Iqbal, another former lawmaker of the AL, for involvement in criminal activities.

He told the House, “We, the people of Lalbagh and Hazaribagh, did not allow the Awami League to conduct political activities in the area for the last three and a half years.”

Pintu ended his 15-minute speech amid desk thumping by Leader of the House Khaleda Zia and senior members of the treasury bench.

On a different note:

In the meantime, look at this old news item from 2003 when a few extremists got caught making bombs. We never heard about this case anymore, did we?

Locals said the militants lived an isolated life and strangers used to visit the mess. Police recovered firearms, ammunition and bombs from the mess after the blasts.

The seizure list includes four locally made pistols, several hundred bullets, bomb-making equipment, electric circuits, batteries, remote controls, petrol bombs and chemicals.

They also found money receipts of the Jaamatul Mujahidin Bangladesh, books on armed combat, list of members, commando dresses, mobile phones and documents.

One such document reads: “Sayakh (sir), we are in need of the list of muadkars (fighter-members) that was given to you.”