Anti-rape protest clash: Two Chhatra Federation leaders, sued by police, say they weren’t at the spot
When contacted about the matter, SI Khair, the plaintiff in the case, told TBS that the names of the two accused will be dropped if any mistake is found in filing of the case during investigation
Two leaders of the Bangladesh Chhatra Federation, who have been sued by the police in a case filed over the recent clash with anti-rape protesters, claimed that they were not present at the spot during the incident.
Speaking to The Business Standard this evening (12 March), Armanul Hoque, one of the accused and convenor of the Dhaka University unit of Bangladesh Chhatra Federation, said he was in Dinjapur, attending an anti-rape human chain programme.
"I was in Dinajpur's Khansama upazilla at the time the clash took place in front of the InterContinental hotel," Armanul, the fourth among twelve named accused in the case filed by Sub-inspector Abul Khair of Ramna Police Station, told TBS.
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"I'm on a tour for the last 12 days in the northern region of the country. It's absurd when I saw my name in the accused list," he added.
He also made a Facebook post with two pictures claiming that he was in Dinajpur during the clash.
Another accused, Mashiur Rahman Richard, president of Bangladesh Chhatra Federation, also claimed that he was not present in the protest either.
"I was at Dhanmondi at the time, but police filed a false case against me," he told TBS this evening.
Earlier in the day, police filed a case naming 12 individuals and accusing 70-80 unnamed people over an attack on its members during an anti-rape march in front of InterContinental hotel in the capital yesterday.
Sub-Inspector Abdul Khair filed the case with Ramna Police Station as the plaintiff.
When contacted about the matter, SI Khair told TBS that police filed the case after scrutinising information following the attack.
He, however, said, "If there is any mistake, during the investigation, the names will be dropped after the probe is done."
Earlier on the day, Ramna Police Station Officer-in-Charge Golam Faruque told TBS that allegations of "attacking police and preventing them from doing their work have been brought against the accused".
The 12 people named in case are: Aung Aung Marma; Sumaiya Shahina, president of Samajtantrik Chhatra Front, Eden Mohila College unit; Adrita Ray, member of Chhatra Union; Armanul Hoque, Chhatra Federation's DU unit convener; Meghmallar Bosu, president of Chhatra Union, Dhaka University unit; Al Amin Rahman, president of Chhatra Federation, Dhaka metropolitan unit; Mashiur Rahman Richard, central president of Chhatra Federation; Hasan Shikder, member of Chhatra Federation; Seema Akter, member of Chhatra Federation; Shaikat Arif, general secretary of Chhatra Federation; Main Ahmed, general secretary of Chhatra Federation, Dhaka University unit; and Fahim Ahamad Chowdhury, general secretary of Ganatrantrik Chhatra Council.
