Attack on former US envoy Bernicat: Prime accused Ishtiaq granted bail a day after arrest
Ishtiaq was arrested by the Dhaka Metropolitan Police on Wednesday
The Dhaka Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Court granted bail to Mohammad Ishtiaq Mahmud – the prime accused in a case filed over the attack on former US Ambassador to Bangladesh Marcia Bernicat in 2018 – a day after his arrest.
Ishtiaq, brother-in-law of Sushashoner Jonno Nagorik (SHUJAN) Secretary Badiul Alam Majumdar who filed the case with Mohammadpur police station, was arrested by the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) on Wednesday.
The police produced him in front of the Dhaka court yesterday, where his lawyer applied for bail. After the hearing of both parties, Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Nurul Huda Chowdhury granted the arrestee's bail application.
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Ishtiaq was recently accused in a fresh charge sheet in the case filed by the Detective Branch (DB) of DMP.
Speaking on the matter on Wednesday, Badiul Alam Majumder told The Business Standard that it's a matter of the judiciary, and that he could not comment over the issue.
"I haven't read the chargesheet yet. I don't know who is arrested or not. I can comment once I get the chargesheet," he responded.
Dhaka Chief Metropolitan Magistrate court received the chargesheet on Wednesday and issued an arrest warrant against Ishtiaq.
Recently, the DB submitted a supplementary charge sheet against nine people, including Bangladesh Chhatra League leaders, over the 2018 attack on Marcia Bernicat.
Naimul Hasan alias Russell, president of Mohammadpur Chhatra League unit, has also been accused in the charge sheet alongside Ishtiaq.
Ishtiaq and Badiul reside in the building no-12/2 at Iqbal Road in Dhaka's Mohammadpur-- Ishtiaq on the ground floor and Badiul on the 2nd floor.
According to the chargesheet, the accused has a long-term family dispute with the plaintiff and his family members.
Many of the other accused in the charge sheet are also Awami League and Chhatra League leaders and activists, according to DMP officials.
On the night of 4 August 2018, the then-US ambassador in Dhaka, Marcia Bernicat, attended a dinner at the Mohammadpur residence of Badiul Alam. She was attacked when she was getting into the car after dinner.
Badiul filed a case with Mohammadpur police station in this regard, accusing Chhatra League leader Naimul Hasan, Firoz Mahmud, Mir Amzad Hossain, Shahidul Alam Khan, Tanha alias Mujahid, Saju Islam, Rajibul Islam, Md Siam and Oli Ahmed.
They had also attacked the residence of Badiul and threatened him and his family that night, DB said in the charge sheet.
Earlier in August this year, the DB sent a letter to the US Embassy in Dhaka, seeking information regarding the attack on Bernicat.
Recently, the Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Court ordered the DB to investigate the case further.
Bernicat served as the US ambassador in Dhaka from 2015 to 2018
