Some newspapers writing too much on Limon: PM’s adviser

The prime minister's defence adviser has said he is '100 per cent sure' Limon Hossain was not a target of Rapid Action Battalion's shooting.

'When RAB went to capture criminal Morshed Jamaddar, Limon was trying to run away. That is why RAB shot in his leg,' Tarique Ahmed Siddique told the press on Thursday.

The retired major general claimed that Jamaddar had 'very close ties' with Limon and the father.

'On the day of the incident, Limon's father was in Savar and his mother was three to four kilometres away from the scene,' he added.

A RAB team reportedly shot Limon, who used to work in a brick kiln, in the leg on March 23.

They took him to a place adjacent to his house at Jamaddarhat in Rajapur upazila of Jhalakati, less than a fortnight before his Higher Secondary Certificate examinations were to begin.

RAB on the same day filed two cases against the teenager under the arms act and another for obstructing government duty, making attempts to murder and injuring RAB personnel.

The police submitted charge sheet in the case under arms act last week claiming that Limon is a member of 'Mizan-Morshed' gang. Charges were brought against him under the Juvenile Crimes Act.

Limon's mother, Henuara Begum, also filed an attempt-to-murder case against six RAB men and as many unidentified people. The family alleged that law enforcers were trying to prove him a miscreant.

Earlier this month, National Human Rights Commission chairman Mizanur Rahman questioned the lower court's sending to jail Limon. 'Limon is an adolescent boy. Can he be sent directly to the jail?'

Limon, whose leg had to be cut off, secured a six-month bail in an arms case filed by the elite force.

The High Court also asked the government to explain why a judicial commission should not be formed to look into the so-called shootout.

Siddique said he could say with conviction RAB did not shoot anyone after detaining.

'The way some newspapers publish news, people would even believe the lies. This is intentional,' he said.

The defence affairs adviser said some newspapers were writing too much on Limon. 'They are more focused on banning RAB than sympathy for Limon.'

He said though incidents of 'crossfire' were reported with zeal, no one reported attacks on law enforcers.

'When this Jamaddar cut off a leg of a policeman that newspaper did not say anything. But they've written 48 stories on Limon in 40 days.'

Siddique said RAB's success against militancy was enviable.

The adviser said it was an officer or soldier's temperament that was judged when recruiting for RAB.

'RAB recruits are brave but not unruly.'

He said so far disciplinary actions had been taken against 1,047 members of RAB.

'Also, 76 were expelled, 16 jailed. Thirty-four RAB members have died in action,' he added.

He outlined many successes of the paramilitary force.

'Despite all the success, the propaganda is such that even knowledgeable people now believe them,' he said.

Source: New Age