14, including SAD coordinator, arrested for Kalabagan office attack

Police arrested fourteen people, including a coordinator of the Students Against Discrimination (SAD), on Friday night for allegedly attacking a business establishment in the Kalabagan area of the capital.

Kalabagan Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Moktaruzzaman said Salahuddin Salman, the Kalabagan unit SAD coordinator, along with 13 others, demanded extortion and carried out an attack on the office of Sheikh Kabir, located in a building at Russell Square.

"Seven of them have been sent to prison, while the rest were sent to a juvenile correction centre as they are minors," he added.

Upon receiving the information, police and army personnel arrived at the scene and arrested the suspects.

Following the incident, Yasin Mridha, 19, an office assistant at Sheikh Kabir's company, Kabico Limited, filed a case under the Speedy Trial Act with the Kalabagan Police Station.

Yasin Mridha mentioned in the case statement that the group broke into the office at around 2:30pm on Friday, looted four computers worth Tk2 lakh, and snatched Tk3 lakh in cash from a drawer in the office.

"The gang also told us we had to pay extortion if we wanted to run the office."

The case names Salahuddin Salman, along with Imon, Riel Khan, Sajidul Islam, Shahadat Hossain, Md Utsob, Md Abir, Md Farhan, Parvez Howlader, Hridoy Hossain, Naim Howlader, Arafat Ahmed, Rubel, and Rabbi, as accused, along with five to seven unidentified individuals.

OC Moktaruzzaman mentioned that the arrested individuals claimed they had gone to the building after hearing that an office of the ruling Awami League was operating there.

When journalists asked if an Awami League office was indeed found at the scene, the OC clarified that there was no such office there – it was Sheikh Kabir's private business.

Regarding the existence of CCTV footage of the incident, OC Moktaruzzaman said the cameras were found broken.

He said efforts are underway to recover any possible footage, and attempts are being made to collect evidence. The office drawers were also found broken.

"Some cash and four computers were looted. A case is under process regarding this incident," the OC said.

He further stated that police have recovered some of the stolen money.

An eyewitness, who wished to remain anonymous, told TBS that a group of youths aged between 13 and 20 broke into the office on Friday afternoon. "There was a scuffle between the office staff and the group when they tried to snatch some items from inside the office.

"In the evening, joint forces arrived at the scene and detained the group. They were later handed over to the police." 

According to sources, Sheikh Kabir is a member of the Sheikh family of Golapganj's Tungipara. He is a former chairman of the Association of Private Universities of Bangladesh and has also served as the chairman of the Bangladesh Insurance Association and the National Tea Company Limited.