A Dhaka court has sent 25 people to jail in a case filed under the Anti-Terrorism Act, 2009, over allegations of setting fire to city corporation vehicles, vandalizing a police vehicle, attacking police and obstructing a government eviction drive in Mirpur.
Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Md Ripon Hossain passed the order after a hearing on Thursday.
Rafiqul Islam, a sub-inspector of the prosecution department, confirmed the matter.
The accused were produced before the court by Mirpur Model police Sub-Inspector Md Shamsuddoha, the investigating officer in the case. He sought an order to keep them in jail until the investigation is completed.
Defence lawyers sought bail for the accused. The court rejected the pleas and sent them to jail.
According to the case statement, a drive to remove illegal structures from footpaths began around 10am on Wednesday in Dhaka North City Corporation’s Zone 2 in Mirpur, led by Executive Magistrate Marufa Beg Neli.
Around 11am, an excavator disconnected an electrical wire while illegal shops were being removed from a footpath beside Baitul Quddus Jame Mosque. The mosque subsequently caught fire.
The case statement said the accused and unidentified people gathered after the incident and attempted to create unrest, claiming that the magistrate had deliberately set fire to the hawkers’ shops.
Police alleged that the group set fire to two city corporation vehicles and vandalized a bus. The city corporation filed a separate case over the incident.
The case statement also said unidentified people threw bricks and stones at a Special-71 police pickup van that arrived at the scene.
The vehicle’s windshields, bonnet, doors and other parts were damaged, while the driver and police personnel were injured, according to the statement.
The accused were also alleged to have obstructed police from carrying out their duties, assaulted police personnel and damaged the government vehicle.
Police said the accused acted in coordination to disrupt law and order and create fear among people.
The investigating officer said preliminary evidence had been found linking the accused to the incident and that the investigation was still ongoing.
He also said keeping them in jail was necessary as their release on bail could hamper the investigation.