Experts yesterday expressed concern over the disagreement between Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) and police following the recent claim and counter-claim over the identity of slain militant Sarwar Jahan. They said such contradictions between law enforcement agencies might arise when the state has a soft corner for one force. “It is truly a matter  of concern when two law enforcement agencies disagree over a tricky matter. This will affect the law and order situation,” Zia Rahman, a professor and founding chairman of the department of criminology at Dhaka University, told The Independent yesterday. He warned: “People will suffer if there is disagreement between the law enforcement agencies.” Earlier, on Wednesday, the Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime (CTTC) unit of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) said Sarwar Jahan was a Tier-3 leader of the Neo-JMB while the elite force RAB said Sarwar was the Neo-JMB chief. Meanwhile, RAB director general Benazir Ahmed yesterday called on home secretary Dr Md Mozzammel Haque Khan at the latter’s office. However, no details about their discussion were available. Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Benazir Ahmed said he would stick to his previous statement about Sarwar Jahan as he has factual information. Reacting to the statement made by CTTC chief Monirul Islam, he said, “He (Monirul) is junior to me. I wouldn’t like to argue with him.”
Benazir Ahmed, however, iterated that there would no conflict between the two forces. At a press conference, the RAB DG claimed that Sarwar Jahan was the main financier of the Neo-JMB as well as the Holey Artisan Bakery attack in Gulshan in which left 21 people, mostly foreigners, were killed. Refuting the RAB chief’s claim, Monirul said they had identified three financiers—Dr Rokon Uddin, Tanveer Quaderi and Major Zahid—of the attack on the café.