The New Nation - Internet Edition

Chuadanga Correspondent

One of the four convicted extremists, who fled away from Chuadanga District Jail by scaling over its boundary wall Thursday night, was arrested from village Chhaighoria under Sadar upazila of the district yesterday morning.

Abdul Hamid, 55, leader of Hamid Bahini, who was sentenced to 44 years in jail, was arrested from a house of the village where he was hiding, said Rabiul Islam, officer-in charge of Chuadanga Sadar Police Station.

Police said the local people encircled the house of one Sirajul Islam learning that the convict was hiding in the house.

Receiving information, police went to the spot to arrest Hamid. But, Hamid, sensing the presence of law enforcers, tried to evade the arrest. At one stage, police opened fire on him when he was trying to flee the scene and he fell down on a paddy field. Police caught him at about 9:30am.

Bullet wounded Hamid was taken to Chuadanga Sadar Hospital on board a van at about 10:30am and admitted there. He has been undergoing treatment at the hospital under strong police vigilance after a surgical operation carried out to remove a bullet from his leg.

Hamid, who was arrested in 2001, was accused in at least 15 cases, including eight for murders. He was given 44 years' rigorous imprisonment (RI) in just two cases -- one for murder and the other for possessing illegal weapons.

On Thursday night, Aktaruzzaman Sohag, Hamid, Jorap Ali alias Bachchu and Ashiqur Rahman Tagar scaled the boundary wall of Chuadanga Jail and jumped themselves free, putting all police stations in the 10 southwestern districts on alert. Special security measures were also taken in all jails in the region.

A combing operation by police and Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) was also going on in Chuadanga, Meherpur, Jhenidah and Kushtia to nab the remaining escapees.

Chuadanga police super Mofiz Uddin Ahmed ordered the combing operation to arrest rest of the three absconding convicts.

Four convicted prisoners Ashiqur Rahman Tagar, 45, chief of Tagar Bahini of Kushtia Housing Estate area, Akhtaruzzaman Shohag, 40, of Purba Bangla Communist Party, and extremist leaders Abdul Hamid, 42, and Jurat Ali Bachchu, 43, escaped from the jail at around 1:30am on Friday.

Tagar was sentenced to 50 years in jail, Sohag 80 years, Hamid 44 years and Bachchu 70 years.

Five prison guards were suspended in connection with the escape incident.

The prison guards, who were suspended are Alauddin Malitha, Mokhlesur Rahman, Moniruzzaman, Abul Kasem, Monirul Islam, Abdul Latif Sarker and Sirajul Mollah.

Local BDR officials said red alert has been created in 24 border points and Chuadanga, Meherpur and Jhenidah districts have been sealed off to prevent the three convicted prisoners from crossing into India.

BDR jawans have also been provided with the photographs of the escapees for their recapture.

Lack of manpower, poor building structure of the jail and negligence of duty by some were stated to be the reasons behind the escape of the prisoners from the jail near the district town, which was inaugurated on September 21 last year.

Source said two investigation teams have been formed to identify the causes of the incident and submit its report within 10 to 12 days.

One of the committee is headed by DIG of Rajshahi Maj Hafiz and the other committee is led by ADC Subash Chandra.

DIG (Prisons, Khulna-Rajshahi) Maj Hafiz took the action following an order issued by IG (Prisons) Brigadier General Zakir Hasan.