Anisul, Salman, Dipu Moni shown arrested in another attempt to murder case

A Dhaka court today (2 July) approved a police plea to show four prominent Awami League (AL) leaders arrested in an attempt to murder case filed over an incident that took place during the July Uprising.

The accused include former law minister Anisul Huq, ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina's private industry adviser Salman F Rahman, former education minister Dipu Moni, and Bangladesh Chhatra League activist "Pichchi Raja", confirmed Public Prosecutor Azizul Haque Didar.

Additionally, former ICT Division senior secretary NM Ziaul Alam was shown arrested in a separate murder case filed at Kafrul Police Station.

Metropolitan Magistrate Mehedi Hasan granted the police's petitions following hearings in the morning.

Apart from Hasina, who fled to and has been living in New Delhi since 5 August last year, the four other accused were brought to the courtroom under heavy security from jail. Court proceedings began at around 10:13am and concluded within minutes, after which they were taken back to the court's lock-up.

In the case filed at Mohammadpur Police Station, Hasina and the other three have been charged with attempting to kill one Md Sohel Rana during the July protest on 5 August 2024. The protest took place at Mohammadpur's Tin Rasta roundabout, where Sohel Rana reportedly joined the demonstrators.

According to the case statement, Rana was shot at around 2:30pm that day and was later admitted to the hospital with serious injuries. He still remains in recovery.

The attempt to murder case was formally lodged on 11 June this year, naming 222 individuals, including Hasina, as accused.

Furthermore, Salman, Anisul, and Dipu have each been shown arrested in multiple murder and attempted murder cases stemming from incidents during last year's July Uprising, confirmed defence counsel Morshed Hossain Shahin.

According to the defence, Salman has been shown arrested in a total of 48 cases related to murder and attempted murder. He has been placed on 87 days of remand, of which 49 days have been served.

Anisul faces even more charges, having been shown arrested in 78 separate cases. He has so far been on remand for about 40 days.

In addition, Dipu has been shown arrested in 33 cases, also related to murder and attempted murder. She has reportedly been on remand for some 45 days.

Meanwhile, on 23 December 2024, businessman Ahsan Habib filed a case with Kafrul police regarding the death of Md Atikul Islam, who was shot on 19 July 2024, near the BRTA office in the area during another demonstration. Atikul was declared dead at the hospital.

NM Ziaul Alam has now been shown arrested in this case.

The investigating officers — Sub-Inspector Moniruzzaman from Mohammadpur Police Station and Sub-Inspector Al Mamun from Kafrul Police Station — submitted formal applications to show the individuals arrested, which the court approved.