Former state minister Lutfozzaman Babar and exdirector general of National Security Intelligence Abdur Rahim were brought to Dhaka from Chittagong yesterday for quizzing on a five-day remand in two cases over the 10-truck arms haul.

A special team of Criminal Investigation Department accompanying Babar and Rahim left the port city for the capital at 10:15am amid tight security.

Rafiqul Kader, jailor of Chittagong Central Jail, said they handed over the two to the Investigation Officer, senior ASP of CID Mohammad Moniruzzaman, at 10:10am on court directives.

In response to a remand petition of the investigation officer, Chittagong Metropolitan Magistrate Mahbubur Rahman on December 6 granted a five-day remand for Babar in the arms haul case filed under the Arms Act.

Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Paresh Chandra Sharma on December 1 placed Abdur Rahim on a five-day remand against a 10-day remand petition in the other arms haul case filed under the Special Powers Act for arms smuggling.

Ten truckloads of firearms and ammunition were seized at the jetty of Chittagong Urea Fertiliser Ltd on April 2, 2004. TVvo cases - one under the Special Powers Act for arms smuggling and the other under the Arms Act - were filed with the Karnaphuli Police Station the next day against 43 people.

Abdul KaharAkhand, senior ASP of CID, said Babar and Rahim were brought to the CID headquarters in Dhaka in the evening.

A source in the CID said Rahim would be interrogated about his appointment as NSI director general after retirement as Ansar chief. CID would grill Babar to verify the information received from another accused Rezzaqul Haider, former director of Directorate General of Forces Intelligence.

Rezzaqul had been brought to Dhaka in October, and interrogated during remand at the CID headquarters. He gave information indicating Babar's link with the incident.

The two were supposed to be brought to Dhaka in the morning but it was delayed on security grounds.