Pro-Gaza protests in Sylhet: Another case filed against 800, 2 arrested with stolen Bata shoes
With the latest arrests, 23 people have been detained so far in three separate cases filed over the incidents
Another case has been filed over the vandalism and looting of several business establishments in Sylhet during a protest rally against Israeli attacks on Gaza.
Mostasim Billah, area manager of Bata, filed the case last night (9 April), naming around 800 unidentified individuals as accused. Meanwhile, police have arrested two more individuals with looted shoes from a Bata showroom.
With the latest arrests, 23 people have been detained so far in three separate cases filed over the incidents.
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Confirming the matter to The Business Standard, Sylhet Kotwali police station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Md Ziaul Haque said, "Barbarism cannot be answered with more barbarism. Twenty-three individuals involved in the violence have been arrested. We have sought five-day remand for two of them for interrogation. The rest will also be brought under the law."
The OC further said two people were arrested from the Hazrat Shahjalal (RA) Mazar area of the city at midnight on Wednesday (9 April). Two pairs of looted shoes were recovered from them.
The arrestees are Md Rakib Mia, 19, son of Habibur Rahman of Alipur village in Jhalakathi, and Md Babu Sheikh, 18, son of Jewel Sheikh of Tatihati village in Madaripur.
Earlier on Monday (7 April), the Royalmark Hotel in Mirabazar area was vandalised and Tk1.8 lakh looted.
Abdul Matin Sarkar, operations manager of the hotel, filed a case on Tuesday (8 April) with Kotwali police station, naming 30–40 unidentified persons. He also mentioned that goods worth Tk20–25 lakh were damaged during the attack.
The Royalmark Hotel also houses a KFC outlet on the second floor. The first information report (FIR) also included the attack and vandalism at the KFC outlet.
Additionally, yesterday afternoon, another case was filed over the looting and vandalism at the Domino's Pizza outlet in the Dargah Gate area. The branch manager, Al Amin, filed the case, naming 700–800 unidentified individuals.
The violence broke out during a protest rally in Sylhet on Monday afternoon (7 April), staged against the Israeli genocide in Gaza.
From around 4pm to 5:30pm, demonstrators attacked and looted 13 shops, restaurants, superstores, and other business establishments in the city, including Bata, KFC, and Domino's Pizza.
Traders also reported several incidents of looting in other parts of the city.
