Gulshan crude bomb blasts: 15 more accused placed on 3-day remand

A Dhaka court today (23 September) placed 15 more accused, including leaders and activists of the Awami League and its affiliated organisations, on three-day remand in a case filed under the Anti-Terrorism Act over crude bomb blasts and alleged sabotage in the capital's Gulshan area.

Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Md Jewel Rana passed the order today after hearing a police petition, Sub-Inspector Moktar Hossain of the Dhaka Metropolitan Prosecution Division confirmed.

The accused are Chhatra League activist Nirab Khan, 22, Thakurgaon City Awami League member Md Saiful Islam, 52, Patuakhali Sadar Upazila Jubo League member Md Jewel Sikder, 33, Bhatara Thana Jubo League member Md Sahed, 37, Khilkhet Thana Ward 17 Jubo League member Shanto Sheikh, 28, Ward 20 Awami League member Md Harun Maizbhandari, 55, Lakshmipur District Matsyajibi League Joint Convener Khaled Mahmud Foysal, 40.

The others are Dhaka North City Ward 13 Awami League Religious Affairs Secretary Md Shafikur Rahman, 50, Chandpur District Awami League member Billal Gazi, 35, Tarail Upazila Chhatra League President Ismail Siraji, 32, Cantonment Thana Chhatra League activist Md Arifur Rahman Dipu, 27, Bangladesh Awami Matsyajibi League President Md Idrisul Alam, 55, Badda Sramik League General Secretary Zainal Abedin Mamun, 50, Bhatara Thana Ward 3 National Sramik League Member Secretary Jayanta Kumar Baroi, 43, and Awami League Cultural Affairs Sub-committee President Md Mozammel Haque, 75.

Earlier, Gulshan Police Station Sub-Inspector Md Ruhul Amin, the investigating officer in the case, sought seven days' remand for the accused after producing them before the court.

The remand petition said police needed to interrogate the accused and conduct operations with them to obtain important information for the investigation.

It said the remand was necessary to ensure a proper investigation, identify and arrest the planners, gather information about financiers of the alleged activities and arrest other suspects involved in the incident.

Defence lawyers sought to cancel the remand and grant bail to the accused, while the prosecution opposed the pleas.

After hearing both sides, the court granted three days' remand for each accused.

According to the case statement, leaders and activists of various affiliated organisations of the Awami League, whose political activities are currently banned, and activists of the banned Chhatra League gathered in the Gulshan Police Station area around 11:45am on 11 September.

They organised the gathering to chant anti-government and anti-state slogans and create disorder, with the aim of undermining the image of the elected government and putting it in a difficult position, it said.

It also said that crude bombs were exploded at the scene and in nearby areas, creating panic among the people.

The case statement further said that unidentified accused, who were activists of the banned organisation and supported the banned entity, exploded crude bombs with the intention of damaging the government's image, state property and the lives and property of the public, as well as creating disorder and chanting anti-government and anti-state slogans.

When police moved to disperse the gathering, the unidentified accused allegedly threw crude bombs at them to create panic in the area.

Police fired two rounds of rubber bullets to bring the situation under control, after which the participants dispersed and fled. Five crude bombs were seized at the time, according to the case statement.

Gulshan Police Station Sub-Inspector Md Mahbub Hossain filed a case under the Anti-Terrorism Act, naming 118 people and 80-100 unidentified people as accused.