Marzan ‘identified’

Marzan, one of the suspected masterminds of  Gulshan café attack, has been claimed to be identified as Nurul Islam by a family from Pabna district.

“After seeing the photo published in different media, we are confirmed about him,” Nizamuddin alias Nizam of Afuria village in Pabna, who claims to be the father of Marzan, told The Daily Star.

“He, along with his wife, has been missing for about eight months,” his father told our Pabna correspondent.

He is a student of Arabic Department of Chittagong University, Nizam added.

Abdul Mannan, additional deputy commissioner of Counter-Terrorism and Transnational Crime unit, said two families – one from Pabna and other from Chandpur - contacted with police through facebook and hello city apps about the identities of Marzan.

According to the descriptions of Marzan’s face, figure and academic background given by both the families, Pabna family’s claim might be authentic, the ADC said.

READ ALSO: Dhaka attack: Another mastermind identified, police say


Earlier on August 12, police claimed that Mazan was a close aide of Bangladeshi origin Canadian citizen Tamim Chowdhury.

On the July 1 Gulshan attack, Marjan was staying at Kalyanpur in the capital and continued communication with the attackers and other two masterminds, Monirul Islam, chief of Dhaka police’s specialised counter terrorism unit, said.

Marjan took the Holey Artisan attackers to the Gulshan area and later he left the spot on July 1, he added.

It is also suspected that two other suspected masterminds of the attack -- Tamim and sacked army Major Syed Mohamad Ziaul Haque are staying in Dhaka, Monirul further said.

According to police, Tamim “masterminded” the Gulshan and Sholakia attacks, while sacked army official Ziaul had a hand in the targeted killings.

Recently, police announced Tk 20 lakh bounty on each of the duo.

On July 1, a group of terrorists stormed the Holey Artisan Bakery in Gulshan diplomatic zone in the capital, killing 22 people, mostly foreigners. Two police officials were also killed.

According to the SITE Intelligence Group, which monitors global terror activities, IS claimed responsibility for the attack. The government, however, says there is no IS presence in Bangladesh.

The next week, militants attacked a police checkpoint near the Sholakia Eid congregation in Kishoreganj, killing two police officials and a local.