A case has been filed against 11 leaders and activists of the Awami League and its affiliated organisations, including a former state minister for power and a former Keraniganj upazila chairman, over the alleged torching of an old truck and two cocktail explosions in Keraniganj, Dhaka.
The case also names between 50 and 60 unidentified people. Police said it was filed under the Anti-Terrorism Act.
Sub-Inspector Kamrul Hasan of South Keraniganj Police Station filed the case on Monday, 21 September, following incidents reported in the area two days earlier.
According to the case statement, an old truck was set on fire beside the service lane of the Dhaka-Mawa Highway near the entrance to the road leading to the Ekoria West Para Mosque in South Keraniganj at around 9.45pm on 19 September. The incident reportedly created panic among local residents.
About 10 minutes later, two cocktails were allegedly detonated on the service lane towards Munshiganj beneath the Dhaka-Mawa Highway overpass in the Abdullahpur area. The incidents occurred within a relatively short period and prompted police to respond to the locations.
The case statement says those allegedly involved fled after noticing the arrival of police. Officers subsequently conducted operations in nearby areas in an effort to identify and apprehend those involved.
The named accused include former Keraniganj upazila chairman and South Keraniganj unit Awami League president Shahin Ahmed, 52; former state minister for power Nasrul Hamid Bipu, 55; former South Keraniganj unit Chhatra League vice-president Al Hasan Tanmoy, 30; and Mohammad Rifat Hossain Shovon, 31, described in the case statement as a former organisational secretary of Konda Union Chhatra League and currently associated with Swechhasebak League.
The other named accused are Chhatra League activist Mohammad Rahat, 21; Mohammad Zarip, also known as Kala Zarip, 35; Rana Molla, 45; Swapnil Hasan; Kajal; Monir Hossain; Mohammad Yamin, 40; and Shaon Hossain, 32.
The allegations state that the accused acted in coordination with one another with the intention of creating fear among the public, damaging government property and worsening the law-and-order situation. The allegations remain subject to investigation and have not been established as facts against the accused.
Police have also detained four people, including three women, in connection with allegations of attempting to create disorder by setting fire.
On 20 September at around 9pm, South Keraniganj police detained Parul Begum, president of the Kamrangirchar unit of Jubo Mohila League, and Hasina Sheikh, president of the Kadamtali unit of the organisation, from in front of the Abdullahpur South Town residential area. Police said another woman, identified as Nurjahan, was with them at the time.
The latest case follows a series of incidents involving fire and explosive devices in the Keraniganj area. The use of cocktails and the reported setting of a vehicle on fire have prompted police to examine whether the incidents were connected and whether additional people were involved.
Investigators are expected to focus on identifying those who were allegedly present at the scenes, establishing how the incidents were organised and determining whether the people named in the case had any direct involvement. Police will also seek to establish the circumstances surrounding the use of explosive devices and the extent of any property damage.
Mohammad Azgar Hossain, inspector (investigation) at South Keraniganj Police Station, confirmed that a case had been filed over the truck fire and the cocktail explosions.
The investigation is continuing, while the allegations against those named in the case will have to be established through the legal process.
