DHAKA: Major (retd) Arif Hossain and Lt. Commander (retd) MM Rana had occupied two flats of Siddhirganj power station in Narayanganj.

Official sources confirmed that they had compelled the power station to allocate the flats for five months, but continued to stay over there for long time.

Inmates of the houses however left the flats following withdrawal of the two defence officers from elite force RAB after their names came up in the seven murder in Narayanganj.

Major (retd) Arif and Lt Commander (retd) Rana are now being grilled on remand by police along with Lt. Col (retd) Tarek Syed Mohammad. Police in two separate drives arrested them from Dhaka Cantonment following a High Court order.

Earlier Tarek and Syed were sent on early retirement from Bangladesh Army and Rana got forced retirement from Navy.

According to sources, Major Arif had occupied flat no 301 at Srabonee-3 building of Siddhirganj power house while Commander Rana flat number 303.

They left the houses as the bodies of NCC paner mayor Nazrul Islam and advocate Chandan Sarkar and five others were found floating on the river Shitalakhya on April 30 after they were abducted by plainclothesmen.

Abdul Karim, manager of Siddhirganj power station, declined to make any comment on occupation of their flats by the former RAB men and advised to talk to the chief engineer.

Chief engineer Mahbubul Haq informed that Major Arif and Commander Rana were allocated two flats after they sought for so.

“Since they were government officials and our power station is a government institution, we talked to our seniors on their applications for flats and they were allocated accordingly,” he said.

“But, we don’t know when they left the houses. Both the flats are now under lock and key,” said the chief engineer and informed that the houses will be opened soon in presence of the law enforcing agencies.

BDST: 0856 HRS, MAY 19, 2014