Police fail to re-arrest death row militants

The police failed to re-arrest two death row  militants who were on Sunday snatched from their custody on Dhaka Court premises sending shockwaves.  
Sacked army major Syed Ziaul Haque alias Major Zia masterminded of the daring snatching, according to the police.
Dhaka Metropolitan Police's (DMP) Detective Branch (DB) Additional Commissioner Harun-or-Rashid said on Monday that the militants would be re-arrested at any time as they were under      surveillance by the police.
Briefing reporters at DMP Media Centre, he said that those who assisted in snatching the militants were also under police surveillance.
"We will be able to re-arrest them any time," he added.
He said, "Sacked army major Syed Ziaul Haque among others are under our surveillance, they will be brought to justice soon."
On Sunday, a total of 12 militant accused were taken to the court in a case with Mohammadpur police station and associates of the militants made an attempt to snatch four of them, he said.
The two militants were sentenced to death for murdering publisher Faisal Arefin Dipan were snatched by fellow militants after spraying pepper powder on the faces of police, he added.
The snatched militants include Ansar al-Islam and  Md Abu Siddique Sohel alias Sakib alias Sajid alias Shahab and Moinul Hasan Shamim alias Samir alias Sifat alias Imran.
Regarding loopholes in the security system, Harun said strict security measures are always taken when militants are brought to court. "But what happened yesterday is unexpected. Five policemen have been suspended for negligence in duty."
He said that patrolling by the police had been strengthened and CCTV footages are strictly being scrutinized.
He said security has been strengthened for bringing  militants to court.
After the sensational snatching, police squads including the DB's Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime (CTTC) and bomb disposal unit inspected the spot, he said.
He said that check posts had been set up everywhere.
Police filed a case against 20 people in this connection. A five-member probe body was also formed by the Bangladesh Police on Sunday and it was asked to submit its report within three working days.
"We collected CCTV camera footages from the court premises and adjacent areas, other data and evidences,' he said.
"We are continuing our intelligence activities," he said.
The RAB said that it was scrutinizing all previous crime patterns and footprints of Abu Siddiq Sohel and Moinul Hasan Shamim, members of banned militant outfit Ansar-al Islam, who were whisked away by fellow militants by beating and spraying some chemical on the eyes of the police from the premises of Dhaka Chief Judicial Magistrate Court.
The police Tk 20 lakh bounty on the fugitives.