Mozaffar's trial under military law: Salahuddin

 
Cashiered Army Major Mozaffar Hossain, arrested over his alleged involvement in the assassination of former president Ziaur Rahman, will be tried under military law, Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed said on Monday.

Speaking to journalists after inspecting the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) headquarters at Pilkhana, he said the same individual could not be tried under two different laws for the same offence.

A military court had earlier tried 18 army officers on charges of mutiny following Zia's assassination, sentencing 13 of them to death and handing the others varying prison terms. The case was never tried in a civilian court.

Police, however, also filed a case with Chattogram's Kotwali Police Station over the assassination, naming Mozaffar as the sixth accused. According to the first information report (FIR), he was standing beside the president at the time of the assassination.

The Criminal Investigation Department (CID), which later took over the investigation, sought 173 extensions to submit its investigation report before filing a final report with the court on Oct 24, 2001, admitting it had failed to solve the case.

Mozaffar was arrested in Banani DOHS on the night of July 15 and later handed over to the army. 

Asked whether the police case would now be revived, Salahuddin said the matter would proceed under military law.

"The co-accused in that case were tried under military law through a general court martial. The same fugitive has now been arrested, and we've handed him over to the military. They will form a general court martial under their own rules and take it from there," he said.

Responding to a question on landmine explosions along the Myanmar border that have killed and injured Bangladeshis, the minister said landmine detection equipment had already been procured and handed over to the BGB, which is now using it.

He described the Myanmar border as "very vulnerable", citing the ongoing conflict between the Arakan Army and the Myanmar government, the presence of armed groups including the Rohingya Solidarity Organisation (RSO) and the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA), and frequent drug smuggling.

The minister said these factors justified the need for barbed-wire fencing along parts of the Myanmar border, adding that the situation there was different from that along the India border.

During his visit, Salahuddin directed the BGB to maintain the highest level of readiness to prevent illegal infiltration and push-ins, curb drug and arms smuggling, combat human trafficking and other cross-border crimes.

He also asked the force to uphold discipline, professionalism and integrity, remain vigilant against rumours and misinformation, and make greater use of modern technology and intelligence to strengthen border management.

Expressing confidence in the BGB, the Home Minister said the force would continue to safeguard the country's sovereignty and national interests through discipline, sacrifice and professionalism.