Police vehicle vandalised during Mirpur eviction drive: 25 sent to jail under Anti-Terrorism Act
The accused were arrested after alleged arson, vandalism, and attacks on police during a footpath eviction drive.
A Dhaka court today (1 October) sent 25 people to jail in an Anti-Terrorism Act case over alleged arson, vandalism of a police vehicle, attacks on law enforcers and obstruction of their duties during a footpath eviction drive in the capital's Mirpur area yesterday.
Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Ripon Hossain passed the order after a hearing today, said Rafiqul Islam, a sub-inspector of the prosecution department.
The accused are Rubel, 42, Kawsar, 21, Faruk, 36, Fazle Rabbi, 19, Saeed Alam, 45, Israfil alias Rahim, 25, Kabir, 26, Anwar Hossain, 42, Selim, 42, Jahangir Alam, 45, Siam, 22, Junaid, 21, Sujon, 36, Rajib, 26, Sifatullah, 22, Fazle Rabbi, 20, Noman, 19, Jihad, 19, Kashem, 42, Arif Sheikh, 19, Abdul Kader, 28, Zahir Sheikh, 35, Mosadekur Rahman alias Maruf, 21, Ratul Sheikh, 18, and Tajul Islam, 48.
Keep updated, follow The Business Standard's Google news channel
Earlier in the day, Mirpur Model Police Station Sub-Inspector Shamsuddoha, the investigating officer in the case, produced the accused before the court and sought their detention in jail.
Defence lawyers sought bail for them. After hearing both sides, the court rejected the bail pleas and ordered that they be sent to jail.
According to the case statement, a footpath eviction drive began around 10am on 30 September in Dhaka North City Corporation's Zone-2 (Mirpur), led by Executive Magistrate Marufa Begum Neli.
Around 11am, an electrical wire was severed by an excavator while illegal shops beside Baitul Quddus Jame Mosque under Mirpur Model Police Station were being removed. The severed wire reportedly caused a fire at the mosque.
Following the incident, the accused and other unidentified people gathered at the scene and allegedly tried to create unrest.
They chanted that the magistrate had deliberately set fire to the hawkers' shops, the case statement added.
According to police, the protesters then set fire to two city corporation vehicles and vandalised a bus. The city corporation filed a separate case over the incident.
The case statement further says that when a pickup van assigned to Special-71 duty arrived at the scene, unidentified people hurled bricks and stones at it.
The attack damaged the pickup's front and rear windshields, bonnet, right-side door window, both side doors, back door and other parts. The driver and police personnel inside the vehicle were also injured.
The accused and others also allegedly hurled bricks and stones indiscriminately with the intention of killing police personnel, creating fear and panic in the area, according to the case statement.
The case statement also says the accused acted together to disrupt law and order and create fear among people with the intention of carrying out a major incident.
They allegedly obstructed police work, assaulted police personnel and damaged the government pickup van.
The investigating officer said preliminary evidence has been found linking the accused to the case and that the investigation is ongoing.
The officer also said the accused needed to remain in jail until the investigation was completed, as their release on bail could hamper the probe.
