Bangladesh investigating reported army link in attack on lawmaker

Nov 10, 2009, 4:36 GMT

   Dhaka - Authorities in Bangladesh have launched an investigation into a reported link of a few army officers to a bombing last month that targeted a ruling party lawmaker who narrowly escaped, officials said Tuesday.

   'The matter is under investigation. Whoever is found involved in the attack must get punishment,' Home Minister Sahara Khatun told reporters after media reports that armed forces personnel were involved in the attack on Fazle Noor Tapash, a close relative of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Wazed.

   The country's leading newspapers reported Tuesday that five army officers who were sent recently into early retirement were detained for suspected links with the October 21 attack on the member of Parliament from Hasina's Awami League, which leads Bangladesh's coalition government. The attack injured 13 people.

   The detainees held the ranks of lieutenant colonel, colonel and major before being forced into retirement, The Daily Star newspaper reported, quoting unnamed intelligence sources.

   Last month's attack was carried out at a time when Hasina's government is about to wrap up the trial in the 1975 assassination of the country's founding father, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

   The home minister said there had been allegations against military officers in political killings since Mujib's assassination.

   The government said it believes members of the military have been out to protect perpetrators of the 1975 military putsch, in which Mujib was killed along with most of his family.