A Dhaka court on Wednesday placed 15 more people, including leaders and activists of the Awami League and its affiliated organizations, on three-day remand in a case filed under the Anti-Terrorism Act over alleged cocktail explosions and acts of sabotage in Gulshan.
Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Md Jewel Rana passed the order after hearing a police petition.
Moktar Hossain, sub-inspector of the Dhaka Metropolitan Prosecution Division, confirmed the matter.
The accused sent to remand are Nirob Khan, an activist of Chhatra League; Md Saiful Islam, a member of Thakurgaon town Awami League; Md Juel Sikder, a member of Patuakhali Sadar upazila Jubo League; Md Sahed, a member of Bhatara thana Jubo League; Shanto Sheikh, a member of Ward 17 of Khilkhet thana Jubo League; Md Harun Maizbhandari, a member of Ward 20 Awami League; Khaled Mahmud Foysal, joint convener of Lakshmipur district Matsyajibi League; Md Shafikur Rahman, religious affairs secretary of Ward 13 of Dhaka North City Awami League; Billal Gazi, a member of Chandpur district Awami League; Ismail Siraji, president of Tarail upazila Chhatra League; Md Ariful Rahman Dipu, an activist of Cantonment thana Chhatra League; Md Idrisul Alam, president of Bangladesh Awami Matsyajibi League; Zainal Abedin Mamun, general secretary of Badda thana Sramik League; Joyanta Kumar Barai, member secretary of Ward 3 of Bhatara thana Sramik League; and Md Mozammel Haque, chairman of the Awami League's cultural affairs subcommittee.
Earlier, Gulshan police Sub-Inspector Md Ruhul Amin, the investigation officer in the case, produced the accused before the court and sought seven days' remand for each of them.
The remand petition said important information could be obtained by questioning the accused and conducting raids as part of the investigation.
Police said seven days' remand was necessary to ensure a proper investigation, uncover the circumstances surrounding the incident, identify and arrest those who planned it, gather information about those who financed the alleged terrorist activities, and arrest other people involved in the incident.
Lawyers for the accused sought cancellation of the remand plea and bail, while the prosecution opposed their petitions. After hearing both sides, the court granted three days' remand for each accused.
According to the case statement, at around 11:45am on September 11, leaders of various affiliated organisations of the suspended Awami League and activists of the banned Chhatra League gathered in Gulshan to carry out activities allegedly aimed at damaging the image of the elected government, implementing an anti-government agenda and putting the government in a difficult position.
The case statement alleges that they organized a gathering to chant anti-government and anti-state slogans and create disorder.
It further alleges that cocktails were exploded in and around the area, causing panic among the public. The unidentified accused, allegedly members of the banned organization, are accused of supporting the banned entity and exploding cocktails with the intention of damaging government property and causing harm to public life and property.
When police attempted to disperse them, the accused allegedly threw cocktails at police officers, creating panic. Police later fired two rounds of rubber bullets to bring the situation under control, after which the group dispersed and fled. Five cocktails were recovered from the scene.
Sub-Inspector Md Mahbub Hossain of Gulshan police station filed the case under the Anti-Terrorism Act. A total of 118 people were named in the case, while 80 to 100 unidentified people were also accused.
