Fresh remand for Fakhrul

A Dhaka court yesterday again put BNP acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on a five-day remand in connection with torching a private car in the city's Motijheel area on January 4.Earlier on January 27, Fakhrul was placed on a three-day remand for the first time in connection with the arson attack.

Metropolitan Magistrate Md Emdadul Haque passed the order after Sub-inspector Anwar Hossain Khan of Detective Branch of police produced Fakhrul before his court with a ten-day remand prayer.

Earlier in the day, the BNP leader was hauled before the same court on completion of his three-day remand, but the police did not seek further remand.

In a remand prayer later, Anwar Hossain, also the investigation officer of the case, said Fakhrul was accused of leading, ordering and advising party activists to carry out the arson attack with intent to deteriorate law and order on the eve of a nationwide hartal called by the BNP-led 20-party alliance.

The BNP leader needed to be remanded to find out vital clues about the incident, said the IO.

The defence submitted petitions seeking Fakhrul's bail and cancellation of the remand prayer, saying he was implicated in the case as part of a conspiracy to harass him politically.

Moreover, Fakhrul had been suffering from different diseases for a long time, they said.

After hearing both the defence and the prosecution, the magistrate rejected the bail petition and granted five-day remand for Fakhrul.

A private car carrying an army major was set ablaze in front of Baitul Mamur Jame Masjid at AGB Colony around 1:30pm on January 4.

Following the incident, Sumon Chandra Nath, assistant sub-inspector of Motijheel police, filed a case accusing 81 named people including Fakhrul and 20 to 30 unnamed people for their alleged involvement in the incident.

On January 6, detectives picked up Fakhrul as he came out of the Jatiya Press Club with pro-government journalists protesting against his stay there. The BNP leader had been at the press club for around 24 hours.

Earlier, Fakhrul was arrested thrice and implicated in more than 70 cases.