Gulshan crude bomb blasts: 4 more sent to jail

A Dhaka court today (18 September) sent four more accused to jail in a case filed under the Anti-Terrorism Act over alleged crude bomb blasts and sabotage in the capital’s Gulshan area on 11 September.

Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Mohammad Ehsanul Islam passed the order this afternoon following a petition by the investigating officer, according to court sources.

The accused are Sahim Uddin, 30, Tushar, 27, Sadman Sakib, 36, and Al Amin Mridha, 45.

With the four, the number of accused who have so far been remanded or sent to jail in the case has risen to 55.

Gulshan Police Station Sub-Inspector Mohammad Ruhul Amin, also the investigating officer of the case, produced the accused before the court and sought their detention in jail.

Defence lawyer Mohammad Riaz Morshed Mahim sought bail for the accused. After hearing both sides, the court rejected the bail petitions and ordered them to be sent to jail.

According to the case statement, leaders and activists of various affiliated organisations of the Awami League, whose political activities are currently banned, and activists of the banned-Chhatra League gathered in the Gulshan Police Station area around 11:45am on 11 September.

They organised the gathering to chant anti-government and anti-state slogans and create disorder, with the aim of undermining the image of the elected government and putting it in a difficult position, it said.

It also said that crude bombs were exploded at the scene and in nearby areas, creating panic among the people.

The case statement further said that unidentified accused, who were activists of the banned organisation and supported the banned entity, exploded crude bombs with the intention of damaging the government’s image, state property and the lives and property of the public, as well as creating disorder and chanting anti-government and anti-state slogans.

When police moved to disperse the gathering, the unidentified accused allegedly threw crude bombs at them to create panic in the area.

Police fired two rounds of rubber bullets to bring the situation under control, after which the participants dispersed and fled. Five crude bombs were seized at the time, according to the case statement.

Gulshan Police Station Sub-Inspector Md Mahbub Hossain filed a case under the Anti-Terrorism Act, naming 118 people and 80-100 unidentified people as accused.