Mufti Harun Izhar, son of Hefazat-e-Islam Nayeb-e-Ameer Mufti Izharul Islam Chowdhury, was arrested on Wednesday in connection with two cases filed following Monday’s grenade explosion at his father’s madrasa and was later placed on 10 days’ remand.
In the meantime, a murder case was filed on Wednesday against seven individuals, including the father and the son, as the blast has so far claimed two lives.
Mainul Islam Bhuyan, officer-in-charge at the Khulshi police station, said Sub-Inspector Golam Newaj, filed the case under section 302, 326 and 34 of the Code of Criminal Procedure.
The other accused in the case were Mohammed Ishaque, a teacher of the madrasa, Mohammed Junayed, an associate of Harun, Nurun Nabi, a diploma engineer from Chittagong Polytechnic Institute who sustained injuries during the blast, Mohammed Iqbal, a computer operator at the madrasa, and Habibur Rahman, a student of the madrasa.
Abdur Rouf, assistant commissioner of Panchlaish zone of Chittagong Metropolitan Police, told reporters that they had held Harun at about 3:30pm from the residence of a person named Jalal E Chowdhury in Ichhapur area of Hathazari upazila.
He said they had also arrested one of Harun’s associates, Junayed, during the three and a half hours drive. Meanwhile, another person named Zubair Ahmed, 25, who was injured in the explosion, died early on Wednesday at Chittagong Medical College Hospital, said Sub-Inspector Zahirul Islam, in-charge of the police outpost at the hospital.
Zabuair from Chunarughat of Habiganj was among the four injured who had been receiving treatment at the hospital.
The police had produced Harun Izhar before the court of Metropolitan Magistrate Sayed Masfiqul Islam with a prayer for seven days’ remand in each case, but the court granted a five-day remand each.
The same court also placed Harun’s associate Junayed on a one-day remand and five others detained from the madrasa on three-day remand for interrogation.
Harun was previously arrested in November 2010 along with two associates for allegedly having links with militant outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba and planning to launch an attack on the US embassy in Dhaka.
Mufti Izhar, principal of the madrasa, was also arrested in December 2010 for his alleged involvement with banned militant outfit Huji.
A massive explosion rocked the madrasa at about 11am on Monday, leaving at least five persons critically injured. The police later recovered four hand grenades and huge materials for making grenades from a dormitory room. They also seized 18 bottles of picric acid, raiding Izhar’s residence, and arrested five persons, including four teachers of the madrasa.
Two cases were filed, accusing 12 persons, including Mufti Izhar and Harun, in connection with the blast and recovery of picric acid.
