Rickshaw-puller beaten at Dhanmondi 32 sent to jail in August 2024 attempted murder case

A Dhaka court has sent rickshaw-puller Azizur Rahman, who was beaten by a mob while trying to pay tribute to Sheikh Mujibur Rahman at Dhanmondi 32 in Dhaka yesterday, to jail in an attempted murder case related to the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement.

Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Ishrat Jennifer Zerin passed the order today (16 August) after a hearing.

Earlier, Dhanmondi Model Police Station Sub-Inspector Mohammad Touhidur Rahman, the investigating officer of the case, produced the accused before the court and sought an order to keep him in jail.

The plea stated that questioning of eyewitnesses and the complainant revealed enough evidence to link the accused, Azizur, 27, to last year's incident of attempted murder of a victim, Ariful Islam.

It also mentioned that the accused sustained minor injuries during scuffles when he was caught by locals at Dhanmondi 32. "For the sake of proper investigation, it is essential to keep him in jail."

Defence lawyer Farzana Yasmin Rakhi told The Business Standard, "We submitted a bail petition for the accused in court. However, since multiple powers of attorney were filed in the case, the bail hearing did not take place.

Following the police plea, the judge ordered authorities to send him to jail."

According to the case document, on 4 August last year, during the movement, victim Ariful was leading a procession from New Market to the Science Lab area. Around 2:30pm, the accused, along with others, opened fire and hurled petrol bombs and hand bombs.

A bullet pierced the victim's back, leaving him critically injured. He later received two months of treatment at Dhaka Medical College Hospital before recovering.

Following the incident, Ariful filed an attempted murder case with Dhanmondi Police Station.

Yesterday, Azizur was beaten by a mob at Dhanmondi 32 when he went to pay tribute with bouquet to Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. Police later detained him from the spot.

That day, he told police, "I am not involved with any political party. I only came because I love Sheikh Mujibur Rahman."

With tears in his eyes, Azizur said, "I came to pay my respects to Bangabandhu. I bought this bouquet with Tk400. I earned the money after a whole day's work. I did not come here to bring back Awami League or Sheikh Hasina."

Rickshaw-puller beaten by mob at Dhanmondi 32 while attempting to pay tribute, taken into police custody

Speaking to TBS, however, Dhanmondi Model Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Kashainyu Marma said, "Police rescued him and took him into custody. He has not been detained."

The police will question him to determine whether anyone sent him to Dhanmondi 32, he added.

The mob reportedly attempted to damage the rickshaw, and when he tried to flee, several people attacked him.

Azizur is a resident of Ghorashal village under Jhenaidah Sadar Police Station.