Two minors arrested among Buet students from Tanguar Haor granted bail

Two minors who were arrested along with 24 students of Bangladesh University of Engineering (Buet) from Sunamganj's Tanguar Haor on the charges of allegedly being involved with terrorist activities, have been granted bail today. 

Sunamganj Juvenile Court Court Judge Md Zakir Hossain granted them bail after a hearing on Thursday (3 August).

As both were under the age of 18, they were sent to a juvenile detention centre after their arrest. 

Police on Sunday (30 July) arrested 34 students, including 24 students of Buet, on the charge of conducting anti-government activities through "jihad" near Tanguar Haor in Sunamganj.

34 students land in jail over ‘terrorism’ charges

Sunamganj Superintendent of Police Mohammad Ashan Shah told The Business Standard that they arrested the students for their alleged involvement in anti-government conspiracy with Islami Chhatra Shibir, the student wing of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami.

They were produced before the court on Monday (31 July) afternoon and the court sent them to jail.

Judge Farhan Sadiq of Judicial Magistrate Court-4 in Sunamganj granted bail to 32 of the arrestees over the case filed under the Anti-Terrorism Act on Wednesday (2 August). 

According to the police, they had gathered in the haor area with the intent of holding secret meetings and conspiring against the government. Their alleged objectives included causing public unrest and harm to people's lives.

According to local sources, the 34 students boarded a boat from the wharf of Tahirpur Upazila and departed to visit Tanguar Haor at 7am on Sunday. However, their boat was intercepted by two police speed boats around noon as they were en route to the Takkerghat tourist area through the Patlai River. Subsequently, the boat's drivers Ahadul Miah, Muhaddis Miah, and all 34 students were arrested and taken to the police station.

Parents of the students, however, claim the arrests were wrongful.

Describing the allegations of terrorism as "ridiculous", parents of the students at a press conference at the Shaheed Minar at Buet on Tuesday to demand their release, said the arrests had put their children's education in jeopardy.

The parents said the children had gone on a trip to Sunamganj last Saturday where they met other students of Buet and decided to travel together.

'Terrorism' charges in Tanguar Haor: 24 Buet students granted bail

Mentioning that they could not be reached on the phone since Sunday evening, they said some of the students called their parents to ask for their own and the parents' National Identity Card numbers.

That's when the parents found out that their children had been detained and were being taken to Tahirpur police station for questioning.

They further said, they repeatedly called the OC and SP of Sunamganj to enquire about why they were detained but none of them answered the phone.

They also claimed they called the vice chancellor of Buet but he also could not be reached.

Later on Monday afternoon, the parents learned that their children had been arrested under the Anti-Terrorism Act through media reports.