Breaking into secretariat: All 26 arrested involved with Chhatra League, says DMP

All 26 students arrested today (24 October) in a case filed over a demonstration inside the Bangladesh Secretariat on Wednesday are involved in politics with the banned Chhatra League, the student wing of the Bangladesh Awami League, said police.

The arrestees were among the group of 56 students detained for breaking into the secretariat during a protest demanding re-evaluation of the HSC and equivalent examination results, which they claimed are "discriminatory".

Out of the detainees, 28 were released under their guardians' supervision and the remaining 26 were shown arrested in the case filed against 60-70 unnamed people at Shahbagh Police Station, Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) said in a media statement.

"During preliminary interrogation, the 26 arrestees have admitted to being involved with the banned organisation Bangladesh Chhatra League," said the DMP.

The DMP statement also said, "On Wednesday afternoon at around 3:30pm, 60-70 unnamed youths, including those arrested, forcibly entered the Secretariat. They forcibly entered the important state institution demanding the annulment of the recently released HSC examination results and started creating chaos."

By disobeying the police order, they obstructed government work and vandalised government buildings, causing damage amounting to Tk3 lakh, reads the statement. 

A Dhaka court sent the 26 arrestees to jail today.

They were identified as Jahirul Islam, Md Foysal Hasan, Md Raihan Hossain, Md Rubel Ahammed, Md Riad Mahmud, Md Mesbaur Rahman Millat, Mehedi Hasan, Sohan (1), Imran Hossain Arman, Mehedi Hasan Ontor, Sagor, Rohan, Shahriar Hossain, Ahad Mollah, Sohan (2), Masnun Hossain, Naim, Imam Hasan, Shakil, Selim, Saqlain Mostak, Hanjalal, Moshiur Rahman, Prantik, Tasin Rahman, and Robin Miah.

Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Belal Hossain passed the order after police produced them before the court and pleaded to keep them behind bars till the investigation was complete, reports BSS.

According to the DMP, they have been charged with unlawful assembly, ganging up as illegal mobs and entering the secretariat creating riots, causing injury including obstructing government work, causing damage to government property, and intimidation and threats.

In a public announcement on 25 August, the DMP banned all forms of meetings, gatherings, processions, rallies, and demonstrations in the area around the Secretariat and the chief adviser's official residence Jamuna in the capital until further notice.