Asma Kibria, widow of SAMS Kibria, in a press briefing yesterday at her residence said the culprits are with the coalition government so they will not expose them. Terming the investigation "flawed" Asma Kibria said it is not possible to get justice based on a faulty investigation.

Kibria's son, Reza Kibria, said the investigation is defective for two reasons. First, it could not find the mastermind and second, the supplier or suppliers of the grenades used in the killing could also not be traced. If the supply route of the grenades were traced the identity of the real culprits would become clear.

On January 27 in 2005 lawmaker and former finance minister Kibria was killed in a grenade attack as he was coming out after addressing an Awami League (AL) rally in Baidderbazar of Habiganj. Habiganj AL's organising secretary filed two cases, one murder case and another under Explosive Substance Act. Charge sheets on both the cases were submitted the same year. But the complainant demanded re-investigation of the murder which was rejected by the court.

Asma Kibria said when the trial of the killing case resumes in Sylhet's Speedy Trial Tribunal they will once again appeal for re-investigation.

Responding to a question Reza said the government, if it is sincere, can re-investigate the whole affair even if it is a matter related to the court now.

Referring to the murders of Kibria and Ahsanullah Master, an AL MP from Gazipur, as well as the grenade attack on Sheikh Hasina's rally on August 21 that killed 22 and maimed dozens, Reza said, a powerful quarter positioned at the top level of the government is involved with these incidents. "These attacks are very much part of the terrorism campaign that we have recently witnessed in the form of Islamist extremists," Reza said.

Mentioning Finance and Planning Minister Saifur Rahman's comment immediately after Kibria's murder that Kibria killing was a regional incident Reza said his comment implies he knows who were behind the murder. "As he knows it is a regional incident, neither national or political, he should be quizzed to find out the criminals behind the curtain," he added.

Reza also hinted that the murders of Kibria and Ahsanullah Master as well as the August 21 attack on Hasina's rally are linked with the coming national elections. "When an MP is killed and the culprits get away, how can one expect a credible election? These are all part of BNP's intimidation campaign aimed at election engineering," he observed.

Asma Kibria said her movement Blue for Peace would continue until they get justice and they will soon form an 11-member committee with Prof AAMS Arefin Siddiqui, former president of Dhaka University Teachers' Association.

In the briefing Kibria's family declared programmes on May 1, Kibria's 75th birth anniversary, which includes placing wreaths at Kibria's grave at Banani, a photograph exhibition on the life and work of Kibria at their Dhanmondi residence, and a seminar at BILIA auditorium where Dr Syed Abdus Samad will present a key note paper on Kibria's thoughts regarding the reform of caretaker government system and election commission at 3:30pm.

Reza Kibria said his father was supposed to present his paper on the reform issue on January 30, 2005 in a programme but his murder delayed the ongoing movement for reform for about a year.