Frequent attempts to kill Bashundhara MD, youth of Patiya held

Several attempts were made to kill the Bashundhara Managing Director (MD) and Sheikh Russel Krira Chakra Limited Chairman Sayem Sobhan Anvir.As part of their latest conspiracy, a blueprint had been made to shot Anvir dead during the Jummah prayers. Vatara police on Friday arrested one Saiful Islam Saad 23 hailing from Patiya upazila in Chattogram from the capital in connection with the conspiracy. Police arrested him from Shautul Quran Madrasah and Etimkhana located at Bashundhara residential area at around 11:30 am on the day. Vatara police station’s sub-inspector Hasan Masud, also investigation officer (IO) of the case, is now carrying out the investigation over the incident. The IO of the case producing the suspect before the court with five days remand petition for interrogation. During preliminary interrogation, the arrestee disclosed that as part of the blueprint prescribed by the whip lawmaker Shamsul Haque Chowdhury and his son Nazmul Karim alias Sharun Chowdhury he had planned to shot dead Anvir during the Friday’s jummah prayers. Earlier, the organized gang also had planned to kill Anvir mixing poison with milk and stabbing him. But the gang reportedly failed to do this. Saad also said Sharun had asked him to shoot Sayem Sobhan Anvir directly during Jummah prayers and flee from the mosque by a car which will be kept outside. He said “Sharon informed me about the arrangements so that I could get out of the mosque and flee from there.” Vatara police station sources said, Saiful Islam Saad was arrested on suspicion of plotting to assassinate Bashundhara Group MD Sayem Sobhan Anvir.

After his arrest, police produced him before the Dhaka Chief metropolitan Magistrates court on Friday along with a remand petition to grill him at their custody. It was mentioned in the plea that Saad can give a clearer idea about tthe mastermind of the planned killing mission. During investigation it was found that the conspiracy to kill Bashundhara MD had been going on for almost three months. Saad entered at the House of Bashundhara Group MD in disguise at least four times. Saad gave details of how they planned to kill Anvir following the direction of Whip Shamsul Haque and his son Sharun. After failing several times, he finally disguised himself as a madrasah student. He was admitted to Soutul Quran Madrasah and Orphanage center in Bashundhara residential area. Because students from that madrasah went to Bashundhara MD’s house every day to recite the holy Qur’an. The last target was to implement the kill mission by assassinating the Bashundhara MD during Jummah prayers. Madrasah principal Mufti Misbah Uddin Sagir said Saad’s movements had been suspicious for few days and the name of the Whip and Sharon could be heard during his conversation over phone. After that, the principal was keeping a close watch on Saad’s movements. After it became clear that Saad had come here with a mission to assassinate the Bashundhara group MD as planned by Whip and Sharun Chowdhury, he informed the security officials and staff of Bashundhara residential area.

On Friday, Major (retd) Sheikh Mizanur Rahman, head of the public relations department of the Bashundhara Group, was preparing to lodge a case at Vatara Police Station. In addition to Saad, a plea has been filed to include Whip Shamsul Haque Chowdhury and his son Sharun Chowdhury as mastermind of the murder attempt. In the plea it is mentioned that Whip’s son Sharun Chowdhury planned to assassinate Managing Director of Bashundhara Group Sayem Sobhan Anvir due to previous enmity. Earlier, the clique had tried to implement such conspiracies for several times. Plaintiff of the case Mizanur Rahman said that Whip Shamsul Haque and his son Sharun plotted the blueprint of the murder of the Managing Director of the Bashundhara Group. In this connection, they (Shamsul and Sharun) sent their trusted men Saiful Islam Saad, a youth from Patiya, to the House of the Managing Director of Bashundhara Group in the guise of a day laborer. He (Saad) also entered the House for four times on the pretext of various reasons. Saad was assigned to fetch milk from the farm to the House. According to the plan, Sharun advised Saad to mix poison with the milk. But these several attempts were foiled. They have also preparation to stab the Managing Director of Bashundhara Group during Friday’s Jummah prayers at the mosque. However, Saad could not implement the plan due to unfavorable situation. During the interrogation, Saad said that he met Hannan and Mannan, the close associate of Whip Shamsul, while he was a tenth grader student of Patiya Central High School in Chittagong.

 One day, Hannan and Mannan brought Saad with them to meet Shamsul and Sharun. Under the directives and direct supervision of Shamsul and Sharun, Saad took a job at the House of Managing Director of Bashundhara group by concealing his identity. Apart from this, Saad has several photographs with whip Shamsul. It is learned that he worked as a day labourer in disguise at the MD House of Bashundhara Group. The news that he had the opportunity to enter the MD’s house reached the ears of Whip Samsul’s cadres Hannan and Mannan within a moment. Then they arranged a meeting of Saad with Sharun. At that meeting, Sharun and his father informed Saad about the plan to assassinate Bashundhara Group MD. They said that if Saad did the job, he would not have to do anything else in his whole life. Sharun handed over Tk 20,000 in cash to Saad and tempted to pay more if the plan is implemented. According to the complaint in the case, the final plan was taken when Saad went home during the last Durga Puja holidays. Saad went to Chattogram on October 10 on leave. After 12 days of leave, he returned to work on October 23. After going on holidays, Saad met Sharun. At that time, a pistol was given to Saad and a conspiracy was hatched to kill the MD of Bashundhara Group. According to the plan, Saad was preparing to shoot Bashundhara MD Anvir while he was offering Jummah prayer on Friday. Sources said that Sharun had promised a big reward to Saad if he could successfully implement the plan of assassinating the MD of Bashundhara Group. And if he fails, he is threatened to die. He was also assured that police station would be managed. After returning from Chattogram Saad kept the pistol with him during the last two Friday prayers. But he didn’t get success due to unfavourable situation.