The government was quick to put the blame on the opposition activists, but its law-enforcement agencies so far have failed to prove its claim. The opposition hit back to say that the ruling coalition lacks the political will to unearth the motive behind the occurrences and catch the culprits and the masterminds.

The investigators keep claiming that much has been done to arrest the people behind the grisly incidents, yet they have failed to dig out the clue let alone arrest the people responsible.

ARSON ATTACK ON BRTC BUS

The Department of Explosives has failed to identify the object used in the June 4 arson attack on a BRTC double-decker at Sheraton Hotel crossing that left 10 people killed and at least 15 injured. In the June 7report, it said 'a liquid chemical' mixed with low-power explosives like gunpowder or guncotton was used to set the bus on fire.

In their last major 'breakthrough', the Detective Branch (DB) of Police on Wednesday arrested Jahangir of Nilkhet area whom police identified as a professional bomb-maker and supplier. "We've taken him on a five-day remand and are interrogating him to see whether he is anyway involved in the act," investigation officer of the case, DB Inspector Saud Hasan told The Daily Star yesterday.

The DB police arrested Awami League (AL) activist and contractor Abdul Mannan from his home at Free School Street in Kanthalbagan on June 8 on suspicion.

The DB also arrested Dinesh Chandra Sarker, peon of AL's youth wing Jubo League's office, on June 6 reportedly acting on the information of Shakhawat Tipu, a youth caught while trying to set fire to a taxicab at North-South Road in Kotwali area on June 5.

The DB men talked with 15 people including the bus driver Anisur Rahman, helper Hanif, conductor Mohiuddin and lessee Shipon, but failed to make any headway into the case.

Asked whether they found evidence of Dinesh and Mannan's involvement in the arson, Inspector Saud said, "I will not disclose it at the moment."

"The investigation is on and I will need more time to make any disclosure about motive or identity of the people behind it," he said.

AHSANULLAH KILLING

The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of police has failed to make any notable progress in its investigation into Ahsanullah Master murder after arresting three accused Mahbub, Monir and Dulal and Kabir Hossain, the North Badda landlord who sheltered them, on May 14.

CID sources said they might soon submit charge sheet in the case. The AL lawmaker was assassinated a few yards off his house in Tongi's Noagaon in a burst of gunfire that also left a schoolboy killed and five injured.

"We've raided different places in and outside the capital to arrest the killers, but are not getting them. We've asked nine police stations outside Dhaka for information on the accused and their accomplices and found their criminal records there," said Assistant Superintendent Khaliquzzaman, who is leading a four-member CID probe team.

Most of the accused including suspects Nasiruddin, Suman, Oli Mian and Qaiyum, who were arrested on May 11, and many witnesses identified Jatiyatabadi Jubo Dal leader Nurul Islam Sarker as the mastermind. Some said they saw Sarker and prime suspects Dipu and his brother Tipu dropping the killers near the spot two hours before the incident.

Confessing to his involvement in the killing, the 14th accused in the case, Mahbub identified Sarker as the mastermind.

Police raided Sarker's house on June 2 for the first time, 26 days into the grisly murder.

Khaliquzzaman claimed that the probe was progressing. "Investigation does not mean only arresting the accused. We're verifying statements collected so far and will act on them."

ATTACK ON AZAD

Humayun Azad and his family repeatedly pointed their fingers at the fundamentalists and some leaders of ruling coalition partner Jamaat-e-Islami including Delwar Hossain Saidee for the February 27 machete attack on him near Bangla Academy. But investigators are reluctant to go along that line for reasons best known to them.

Police so far retrieved two machetes, arrested Dhaka University leader of Bangladesh Chhatra League Abu Abbas Bhuiyan, Tablig Jamaat activist Golam Mostafa alias Mostafa Mahbub and 'Tiger', a mugger of Suhrawardy Udyan.

Asked about Azad's allegation of fundamentalists and Jamaat leaders' involvement, Investigation Officer of the case and CID Inspector Kazi Abdul Malek refused to comment 'at this moment of investigation' which 'was progressing'.

Asked when he would submit the charge sheet, he said, "It is uncertain. I just cannot rush into submitting the charge sheet in such a sensitive case."