Criminals at large despite Interpol red alerts

Despite the Interpol issuing red-corner alerts against some of the country’s top criminals, the chances of getting them back to Bangladesh to face the law are slim.
According to officials of law enforcement agencies, getting back these high-profile criminals from abroad largely depends on the extradition treaties between Bangladesh and the countries concerned and diplomatic activity.
They said that red-corner alerts do not mean issuing an arrest warrant. The Interpol never sends its officials or builds pressure on any of the member countries to arrest criminals against whom a red-corner notice has been issued.
They informed that the extradition of
the prime accused Kamrul involved in killing of Sylhet boy, Rajon, depends on the
state-level cooperation between Bangladesh and Saudi Arab.
Officials in the Interpol section, which is known as the National Council of Bureau (NCB) at the Bangladesh Police Headquarters, told The Independent that whether Kamrul could be brought back to the country depends on the policymakers of the two countries.
Since, there is no case against Kamrul, and there is no specific allegation against him in Saudi Arab, the Saudi government is facing some difficulties in sending back Kamrul to Bangladesh, even though he was arrested there.
That is the reason for the Saudi NCB requesting the NCB of Bangladesh Police to issue a red-corner alert. After the Saudi request came through, the local NCB issued the red-corner alert against Kamrul.
Talking to The Independent, Assistant Inspector General (AIG) of Bangladesh Police, Mahbubur Rahman said, “We issued a red-corner alert against Kamrul at the request of the Saudi NCB. We have already translated the documents and other diplomatic papers to Arabic. We will try to send these papers to the home ministry today (Thursday) and they will be sent to Saudi Arab through the foreign ministry.”
An official of the Interpol on condition of anonymity said currently there are 190 corner alerts. Earlier, a red alert was issued against expelled Narayaganj City Corporation councillor and Awami League leader, Nur Hossain, in connection with the sensational murder of seven people.
The list of 61 top criminals includes high-profile law breakers who have been accused in cases such as the Bangabandhu murder case, the August 21 grenade attack case and the Chittagong arms smuggling case. All of them fall in the most-wanted category of the Bangladesh Police. Despite the Interpol red-corner notices against them, they remain beyond the reach of the law.
 Some of the accused are living publicly after acquiring the citizenship of the foreign countries. Among the accused, are some politicians, top-listed terrorists and underworld mafia dons. The list also includes some convicted criminals on death row, belonging to various militant groups.
The process of extraditing them has got bogged down in legal and political complexities, officials said. There are also some criminals on the list against whom the government has not taken any initiative to get them back.
Explaining the system for extraditing criminals from foreign countries, AIG Mahbubur Rahman said, ‘‘We seek help from the Interpol to bring back any criminal who is absconding abroad. After tracing the criminals, the Interpol informs the concerned country.”
 After that the diplomatic process starts, and the Interpol only provides its assistance. For successful extradition, it completely depends on the country to where the criminal has escaped and the country where the crime has been committed.
  Nur Hossain was arrested in 2014 in India after he had escaped there, crossing the border illegally, but he is yet to be extradited.  The Interpol issued a red-corner alert against top terrorist, Mollah Masud, who was also arrested in India, but has not been brought back till date.
 According to home ministry sources, among the six accused against whom red-corner notices have been issued for being involved in the assassination of the Father of the Nation  Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, expelled army officials, AM Rashed Chowdhury is in the USA, Nor Chowdhury is in Canada, while Abdul Majed and Risaladar Mosle Uddin are living in India.
Intelligence officials also claim that two of Bangabandhu killers, Shariful Haque Dalim and Khandaker Abdur Rashid, are in Pakistan against whom red-corner notices were issued.
Though, the USA had committed to deporting Rashed Chowdhury four years back, he is yet to be brought back to Bangladesh due to diplomatic shortcomings, some officials alleged.
Convicted war criminals on death row, Ashrafuzzaman Khan, is in the USA, while Chowdhury Mainuddin is residing in the UK. The Interpol issued red notices against them too.  Former student leader and Jatiya Party lawmaker, Gulam Faruque Ovi, against whom a red notice was issued, is still hiding abroad. Another convicted terrorist on death row, former Jamaat-e-Islami leader, Abul Kalam, is believed to be hiding in Pakistan.
Before being handed death penalty for his crimes against humanity in 1971, Kalam escaped from Bangladesh. Later, the Interpol issued a red-corner alert, but he too has not been extradited.
Top leader of Harkatul Jihad, Maolana Tazuddin, was accused in the deadly August 21 grenade attack at Prime Minster Sheikh Hasina's rally in front of the Awami League office in Dhaka in 2004. The Interpol issued a red-corner alert against him in 2007, but is yet to be brought back from South Africa, where he is hiding.
Other top terrorists against whom the Interpol has issued red-corner notices are Sazzad, Shobroto Baien, Tanvirul Islam Joy, Harun, Sujit Sultan, Salauddin Mintu, Abdul Jobbar Munna, Nabi Hossain, Prokash Kumar Biswash, Toufiq Alam, Nasir Uddin Roton, Harish Ahmed, Khorshed Alam, Soilendra Nath Biswash, Shahadat Hossain, Chan Miah, Swopon Malakar, Aminur Rahman, Omar Faruque Kochi, Dipu, Monju, Jishan and Tokai Sagor. None of them have been extradited.
According to sources in the Interpol, Nazmul Maksud alias Murad, who was also accused in the attempt to murder of Awami League chief, Sheikh Hasina, was brought back last year. The Interpol issued a red-corner alert against Murad in 2011, and Homeland Security Police of the USA arrested him on February 2, 2012.

 

 

Criminals at large despite Interpol red alerts

Despite the Interpol issuing red-corner alerts against some of the countrys top criminals, the chances of getting them back to Bangladesh to face the law are slim. According to officials of law enforcement agencies, getting back these high-profile criminals from abroad largely depends on the extradition treaties between Bangladesh and the countries concerned and diplomatic activity. They said that red-corner alerts do not mean issuing an arrest warrant. The Interpol never sends its officials or builds pressure on any of the member countries to arrest criminals against whom a red-corner notice has been issued. They informed that the extradition of the prime accused Kamrul involved in killing of Sylhet boy, Rajon, depends on the state-level cooperation between Bangladesh and Saudi Arab. Officials in the Interpol section, which is known as the National Council of Bureau (NCB) at the Bangladesh Police Headquarters, told The Independent that whether Kamrul could be brought back to the country depends on the policymakers of the two countries. Since, there is no case against Kamrul, and there is no specific allegation against him in Saudi Arab, the Saudi government is facing some difficulties in sending back Kamrul to Bangladesh, even though he was arrested there. That is the reason for the Saudi NCB requesting the NCB of Bangladesh Police to issue a red-corner alert. After the Saudi request came through, the local NCB issued the red-corner alert against Kamrul. Talking to The Independent, Assistant Inspector General (AIG) of Bangladesh Police, Mahbubur Rahman said, We issued a red-corner alert against Kamrul at the request of the Saudi NCB. We have already translated the documents and other diplomatic papers to Arabic. We will try to send these papers to the home ministry today (Thursday) and they will be sent to Saudi Arab through the foreign ministry. An official of the Interpol on condition of anonymity said currently there are 190 corner alerts. Earlier, a red alert was issued against expelled Narayaganj City Corporation councillor and Awami League leader, Nur Hossain, in connection with the sensational murder of seven people. The list of 61 top criminals includes high-profile law breakers who have been accused in cases such as the Bangabandhu murder case, the August 21 grenade attack case and the Chittagong arms smuggling case. All of them fall in the most-wanted category of the Bangladesh Police. Despite the Interpol red-corner notices against them, they remain beyond the reach of the law. Some of the accused are living publicly after acquiring the citizenship of the foreign countries. Among the accused, are some politicians, top-listed terrorists and underworld mafia dons. The list also includes some convicted criminals on death row, belonging to various militant groups. The process of extraditing them has got bogged down in legal and political complexities, officials said. There are also some criminals on the list against whom the government has not taken any initiative to get them back. Explaining the system for extraditing criminals from foreign countries, AIG Mahbubur Rahman said, We seek help from the Interpol to bring back any criminal who is absconding abroad. After tracing the criminals, the Interpol informs the concerned country. After that the diplomatic process starts, and the Interpol only provides its assistance. For successful extradition, it completely depends on the country to where the criminal has escaped and the country where the crime has been committed. Nur Hossain was arrested in 2014 in India after he had escaped there, crossing the border illegally, but he is yet to be extradited. The Interpol issued a red-corner alert against top terrorist, Mollah Masud, who was also arrested in India, but has not been brought back till date. According to home ministry sources, among the six accused against whom red-corner notices have been issued for being involved in the assassination of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, expelled army officials, AM Rashed Chowdhury is in the USA, Nor Chowdhury is in Canada, while Abdul Majed and Risaladar Mosle Uddin are living in India. Intelligence officials also claim that two of Bangabandhu killers, Shariful Haque Dalim and Khandaker Abdur Rashid, are in Pakistan against whom red-corner notices were issued. Though, the USA had committed to deporting Rashed Chowdhury four years back, he is yet to be brought back to Bangladesh due to diplomatic shortcomings, some officials alleged. Convicted war criminals on death row, Ashrafuzzaman Khan, is in the USA, while Chowdhury Mainuddin is residing in the UK. The Interpol issued red notices against them too. Former student leader and Jatiya Party lawmaker, Gulam Faruque Ovi, against whom a red notice was issued, is still hiding abroad. Another convicted terrorist on death row, former Jamaat-e-Islami leader, Abul Kalam, is believed to be hiding in Pakistan. Before being handed death penalty for his crimes against humanity in 1971, Kalam escaped from Bangladesh. Later, the Interpol issued a red-corner alert, but he too has not been extradited. Top leader of Harkatul Jihad, Maolana Tazuddin, was accused in the deadly August 21 grenade attack at Prime Minster Sheikh Hasinas rally in front of the Awami League office in Dhaka in 2004. The Interpol issued a red-corner alert against him in 2007, but is yet to be brought back from South Africa, where he is hiding. Other top terrorists against whom the Interpol has issued red-corner notices are Sazzad, Shobroto Baien, Tanvirul Islam Joy, Harun, Sujit Sultan, Salauddin Mintu, Abdul Jobbar Munna, Nabi Hossain, Prokash Kumar Biswash, Toufiq Alam, Nasir Uddin Roton, Harish Ahmed, Khorshed Alam, Soilendra Nath Biswash, Shahadat Hossain, Chan Miah, Swopon Malakar, Aminur Rahman, Omar Faruque Kochi, Dipu, Monju, Jishan and Tokai Sagor. None of them have been extradited. According to sources in the Interpol, Nazmul Maksud alias Murad, who was also accused in the attempt to murder of Awami League chief, Sheikh Hasina, was brought back last year. The Interpol issued a red-corner alert against Murad in 2011, and Homeland Security Police of the USA arrested him on February 2, 2012.