SAD leader Riyad placed on 2-day remand in attempted murder case

A Dhaka court has placed Abdur Razzak Bin Sulaiman Riyad, a student of Presidency University, on a two-day remand in connection with an attempted murder case. 

Dhaka Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Md Sefatullah passed the order today (5 March).

Three other accused from the same institution have been sent to jail, after their remand and bail petitions were rejected.

The other three accused are Riadul Hawlader, Alif Ahmed Ashik and Sayem Shikdaer.

Earlier, the investigation officer of the case, Gulshan Police Sub-Inspector (SI) Arman Ali produced the accused before the court and sought a five-day remand for each of them.

The application states that the accused admitted to the incident during questioning, and preliminary investigations also found evidence supporting the allegations in the case.

The application further states that the permanent addresses of the accused had not yet been verified.

“Extensive interrogation is necessary to uncover the full details of the incident, identify unnamed suspects, and gather information about their whereabouts,” reads the application.

Defense lawyers Sakhawat Hossain and Zakir Hossain filed petitions seeking cancellation of the remand and bail for the accused while prosecutor Shamsuddoha Sumon opposed the petitions on behalf of the state.

After hearing from both sides, the court granted a two-day remand for Riyad, while rejecting the remand and bail requests for the other three accused and ordering their detention in jail.

Earlier, police arrested the accused on 26 February. 

According to the case statement, on 26 February, Riadul and Sayem struck victim Nirjan Sardar Badhon with chairs in a classroom on the university’s third floor, causing injuries to his chest and back.

Riyad attacked him with a switchblade with intent to kill, striking his face.

University teachers and students intervened before Gulshan Police arrived at the scene and detained the suspects.

The case also alleged that the accused held a prior grudge against Nirjan.

Later, the victim filed an attempted to murder case naming 11 people.

Riyad, also a former Students Against Discrimination (SAD) leader, was earlier arrested in connection with a case of attempted extortion of Tk50 lakh from the residence of Awami League (now-banned) leader and former MP Shammi Ahmed in the capital’s Gulshan area in July last year.