Law enforcement agencies have arrested 17 people in Dhaka and other parts of the country in connection with the recent attacks on the offices of Prothom Alo, The Daily Star, and two cultural organizations.
On Monday afternoon, Additional Police Commissioner SN Md Nazrul Islam said this during a briefing of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP).
He said that in connection with these incidents, the local police arrested 13 people. In addition, the Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime (CTTC) unit arrested three, and the Detective Branch (DB) arrested one.
On Sunday, law enforcement agencies informed Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus that 31 individuals have been initially identified from video footage on suspicion of involvement in the incidents. Three others were identified for attempting to create unrest near the residence of the assistant high commissioner of India in Chittagong.
Among them, the identities of seven detainees have been found– Md Kashem Faruk, Md Saidur Rahman, Rakib Hossain, Md Naim, Faisal Ahmed Prant, Md Sohel Rana, and Md Shafiqul Islam.
Kashem Faruk, a former student of Al-Jamia Al-Islamia Qasemul Uloom Madrasa in Bogra, is a resident of Mohammadpur, Dhaka. Saidur Rahman hails from Noakanda village in Bhanga upazila of Faridpur.
Rakib Hossain of Sherpur was identified in video footage as an active participant in vandalism and arson at Prothom Alo and The Daily Star. He reportedly posted photos of the rubble and made provocative posts on Facebook.
Md Naim, from Kunipara in Tejgaon, Dhaka, was arrested with Tk50,000 looted during the Chauddagram incident in Comilla. During interrogation, he confessed to looting Tk123,000, part of which was used to buy a television and refrigerator in Mohammadpur. Both items have been recovered.
Sohel Rana, arrested from Kawran Bazar railway line area, has 13 cases against him under various laws, including narcotics.
Shafiqul Islam, also arrested from the same area, has two previous cases related to arson and cocktail explosions.
Interrogation of the other detainees is ongoing.
