Dhaka: The High Court Wednesday summoned two RAB officials for conducting an operation at the residence of a local businessman on a ‘false' charge of illegally possessing arms in Satkhira.

Terming the arm-seizure case ‘fabricated’, the HC ordered Rab-6 official Major Kamruzzaman and Deputy Assistant Director Delwar Hossain to appear before the court on June 8 to explain the riddle.

An HC bench of justices AHM Shamsuddin Chowdhury and Mohammad Delwar Hossain issued the subpoena following a petition filed by two human-right organizations --Human Rights and Piece for Bangladesh and Society for Justice.

The justices also issued a rule upon the government to explain within two weeks why it “should not be directed to take action against the two RAB officials for their failure to perform their duties”.

The court also asked the government to form an independent investigation committee and report the findings within 10 days.

A RAB-6 team had been kept confined by the locals for 6 hours at night at Natuadanga village of Shibpur union under Satkhira sadar upazila while conducting an operation at the residence of Awami League leader and shrimp businessman Shafiqul Islam on May 21. Police rescued them the following morning.

The court also directed the government to ensure the safety of Natuardanga villagers.

The home secretary, the inspector-general of police (IGP), the director-general of RAB, commander of Rab-6 Kamruzzaman and Delwar have been asked to comply with the order and replay to the rule.

BDST: 1630 HRS. May 26, 2010
JA/MMK/SRJ/SMS/MUA