The
International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL) has issued red
alert notices against 61 Bangladeshis including BNP senior vice chairman
Tarique Rahman but not a single one of them has ever been brought back
to face trials.
The alert have been issued against some of the
country's most wanted killers, including the killers of Bangabandhu
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, BNP senior vice chairman Tarique Rahman, war
crimes convicts and several other top fugitives.
Although most of
them are believed to be living in neighbouring India, with whom an
extradition treaty exists, none have been brought back.
Many other
fugitives are believed to be living in Canada, UK, USA and South Africa
with whom extradition treaty does not exists. Several accused in the
Bangabandhu murder case, August 21 grenade attack case and the 10-truck
arms haul case number among them.
Many of Interpol's member
countries, however, consider a Red Notice a valid request for
provisional arrest, especially if they are linked to the requesting
country via a bilateral extradition treaty.
Red Notices serve to seek
the location and arrest of wanted persons with a view to extradition or
similar lawful action, according to the Interpol website.
The
INTERPOL, an intergovernmental organisation facilitating international
police cooperation, also uploaded the particulars of the influential
opposition leader on their official website in response to a request
from Bangladesh officials made earlier this year.
Tarique has been
living in London since 2008. Tarique is one of the 18 fugitives -
including former Directorate General of Forces Intelligence director ATM
Amin, who was later promoted to major general, and his colleague
dismissed lieutenant colonel Saiful Islam Joarder - who faces charges in
connection with the brutal attack on the Awami League rally in 2004.
Of
the 18 fugitives, the National Central Bureau for Bangladesh requested
Interpol for issuance of red notice against Tarique early this year,
while another against Maulana Mohammad Tajuddin Mia, brother of former
BNP lawmaker Abdus Salam Pintu, in 2008.
Among the six murderers of
Bangabandhu, Interpol issued Red Notices against AM Rashed Chowdhury,
who is now in the United States, Nur Chowdhury who is in Canada and
Abdul Mazed and Risaldar Mosleh Uddin who are in India, according to
sources in the Home Ministry. Red Notices have also been issued against
war crimes convicts Abul Kalam Azad and Abdul Jabbar.
Nur Hossain, an
accused in the Narayanganj seven murder case, has had an Interpol Red
Notice issued against him. He was arrested in June last year by Indian
police for illegal trespassing. But even though Bangladesh sought his
extradition in writing, and India gave assurances that he would be
handed over, he still has not been repatriated.
Accused or convicted
men being hunted across the globe to face Bangladeshi courts are leading
happy lives as citizens of other countries.
Police started the
process to bring back wanted criminal Mollah Masud, Shibir cadre Sazzad
Hossain, Subrata Bain after Indian authorities informed about their
arrest for illegal stay.
Interpol has issued red notice against
former Jatiya Party MP Golam Faruk Ovi in accused with the sensational
murder of model Tinni.
Other than the 'most wanted' criminals, there are also many other underworld criminals in and around Kolkata.
Interpol
has issued red notices against Tanveerul Islam Joy, top terror Shahadat
Hossain Bikash, Harris (leader of the infamous 'Harris Bahini'), Zafar
Ahmed Manik, Haris Ahmed alias Haris, Khorshed Alam and Jishan and
Rosen, former commissioner Fazlur Rahman Babul, Monir (brother of Pintu
MP) and Aga Mithu of Narayanganj.
Assistant Inspector General of
Police Mahbubur Rahman Bhuiyan, in-charge of the Interpol desk at police
headquarters, told The Daily Observer that Interpol has nothing to do
with the arrest or hand over of a fugitive. It is entirely the matter of
a member country and its legal framework," He said the matter of
extradition of a fugitive also involves whether the countries concerned
have extradition treaty or not.