Dhaka killer’s father says ‘sorry’

‘I pray that the almighty gives the family of Tarishi the strength to go through this traumatic time’

S.M. Imtiaz Khan Babul, a Bangladeshi politician from the ruling Awami League party, whose son was one of the suspected terrorists who >stormed into a café in Dhaka last Friday and killed 20 visitors, including Indian student Tarishi Jain, on Tuesday offered an apology to the Jain family in Gurgaon.

“I am seeking pardon from the >family members of Tarishi Jain ,” said Mr. Khan , at beginning of a 10-minute telephonic conversation with The Hindu . “India has given our country so much from the time of Independence. Personally, I am benefited for my long association with the sports organisers of India and Bengal. Mamata Banerjee’s brother Ajit Banerjee, who is the President of Bengal Olympic Association, or other members [of the Association] have shown so much respect…they are like family friends…,” said Mr. Khan.

Shamed and shocked

“And now I got to hear that my son has killed so many people, including Tarishi. I pray that the almighty gives the family the strength to go through this traumatic time. I am shamed and shocked.” He expressed his condolence to family members of all the victims.

Mr. Khan, who is Deputy Secretary General of Bangladesh Olympic Association and the former sports secretary in the Dhaka unit of the Awami League, said his son, Rohan Ibne Imtiaz, was missing from December 30, when he and his wife were in Kolkata to visit doctors. “Soon after I cam back to Dhaka and went from pillar to post to find out my only son,” Mr. Khan said.

He said he had met Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan, senior officials in the police and general administration and had even informed the immigration department so that Rohan could not leave the country.

He added that he had even tried his luck on Facebook. “I appealed through Facebook to my son saying that his mother is getting severely ill and that I am losing all hope, but nobody responded.”

The Khan family is yet to figure out how or why Rohan, who studied in one of the elite schools in Dhaka, Scholastica, and BRAC University, would join a militant outfit.

“My son used to go to school till a few months ago with his mother, who teaches there, and come back with her,” he said. “How on earth can you guess that he is planning to train gun on others,” asks Mr. Khan, while describing himself as the “most ill-fated father”.

He added that while looking for his son, he came across “three or four such families” in Dhaka where the sons are missing. The families are sharing information with the police, but not ready to go public.