Man who ‘set fire to cop car’ Nov 14 held

Law enforcers today claimed to have arrested one person who “set fire to a police vehicle” during a clash between BNP activists and lawmen in front of the BNP office on November 14 last year.

Wasim, 28, was arrested by a team of Pallabi police from Bihari Camp area around 12:10am, said Additional Deputy Commissioner of DMP Abdul Baten.

So far, 14 people have been arrested in connection with the bipartite clash in Nayapaltan area, he said at a press conference at the DMP Media Centre.

"We are considering the case as a sensitive one as the perpetrators went on a frenzy setting fire to police vehicles," he said.

Claiming that the arrestee primarily admitted to his involvement in the crime, the police official said that the physical evidence as shown in the photos that surfaced in media proves that he was involved in the crime.

Out of the 14 arrestees, three of them have given confessional statements before a magistrate, he also said.

Asked about the political affiliation of Wasim, Abdul Baten said from primary investigation they have come to know that the arrestee is involved with the politics of BNP.

WHAT HAPPENED ON NOVEMBER 14?

During the third day of BNP’s nomination form sale at its Nayapaltan central office in Dhaka, clashes broke out between police and BNP supporters and activists.

While several people including policemen were hurt, two police vehicles were set on fire at the spot and many other vehicles vandalised.

But immediately afterwards, BNP blamed police for an unprovoked attack and urged its supporters to calm down and maintain a peaceful atmosphere.

However, police sued several BNP men in three separate lawsuits after the clashes.