31 identified, 17 arrested so far over attacks on Prothom Alo, Daily Star: DMP
Prothom Alo has already filed a case, while The Daily Star is in the process of filing one after assessing the extent of damage, police say.
The Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) has so far arrested 17 people out of 31 identified through analysing video footage in connection with the attack, arson and looting at the offices of Prothom Alo and The Daily Star in the capital's Karwan Bazar area.
DMP Additional Police Commissioner (Crime and Operations) SN Md Nazrul Islam confirmed the information at a press briefing held at the DMP Media Centre today (22 December).
Nazrul said several thousand people initially carried out vandalism, arson and looting at the Prothom Alo office and later at the Daily Star office.
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Describing the incident as "unwanted and undesirable," he said such acts are never acceptable.
"A group of criminals often looks for opportunities to create disorder in the country, and some individuals take advantage of chaotic situations to loot money, computers and other valuables. Despite maximum efforts by the police and the army, the mob could not be fully restrained. They even created road blockades and prevented fire service vehicles from reaching the scene", he added.
The DMP officer said Prothom Alo has already filed a case over the incident, while The Daily Star is in the process of filing a case after assessing the extent of damage.
Nazrul said several DMP units and other intelligence agencies are reviewing video footage to identify those involved and continue arrest operations.
"So far, 13 people have been arrested by local police, three by CTTC and one by the DB, bringing the total number of arrests to 17," he said.
The case was filed under the Penal Code, the Special Powers Act, the Cyber Security Act and the Anti-Terrorism Act, he added.
He said that from one of the arrestees, Md Naim, 26, police recovered a television, a refrigerator and Tk50,000 in cash.
Other arrestees include Md Akash Ahmed Sagar, Md Abdul Ahad, Md Nazrul Islam alias Minhaj, Md Jahangir, Md Sohel Rana, Md Abdul Barek Sheikh alias Al-Amin, Rashedul Islam, Sohel Rana and Shafiqul Islam. CTTC arrested Md Pranto Shikder alias Faisal Ahmed Pranto, Md Abul Kashem and Md Raju Hossain, while Md Saidur Rahman was arrested by the DB.
Nazrul further said, "We were not focusing on their political identities. We are looking at the fact that they are criminals who broke the law and took the law into their own hands. They will be tried under the existing laws of the country."
