Staff Correspondent
The police on Monday said an internal investigation found no 'negligence' of the policemen on duty at the Dhaka University during the murder of writer-blogger Avijit Roy. But the investigation blamed a 'lack in coordination'.
Spokesperson of Detective Branch (DB) of police Monirul Islam said, "The report specifically said nothing about negligence of any member of the force.
"However, it does mention the lack in coordination of police surveillance and work in the area on that day."
"The police check post was nearly 250 feet away from the scene of the crime. There was a lot of vehicle movement around the spot. It was dark also. The site was not visible from the check post."
Bangladesh-born US citizen Avijit's wife and fellow blogger Rafida Ahmed Bonya was seriously injured as she tried to defend Avijit during the attack mounted soon after the couple came out of the Ekushey Boi Mela around 8:30pm on February 26 at Dhaka University area. She has returned to the US for better treatment.
The law enforcers are yet to make a breakthrough in the probe of the Feb 26 killing of the Avijit Roy who faced threat for his work on secular freedom, science and against religious fanaticism and superstition.
On Monday, another writer with a similar stand, Oyasiqur Rahman Babu, was killed in the same manner in the capital's Tejgaon.
Immediately after Avijit's murder close to a full-fledged police station, yards from a check post, and inside 'the three-tier security blanket' for Amar Ekushey Book Fair, law enforcers who were on duty came under fire for failing to act promptly and preventing the murder.
A number of civil society members, teachers, MPs and a former chief justice also criticised police for their role and demanded an explanation.
A three-strong enquiry was launched to look into the allegations against the law enforcers and the committee submitted its findings to Dhaka Metropolitan Police Commissioner last week.
DMP Joint Commissioner Mir Rezaul Karim, who headed the probe, declined to comment on their findings, "All I can say is that the report has been submitted."
Meanwhile, Dhaka University Professor Ajay Roy, father of Avijit, has questioned the probe findings.