Police sue 122 BNP men over Tuesday's clash, vandalism

Police yesterday filed five cases against 122 BNP leaders and activists on charges of vandalising around 70 vehicles and torching a police motorbike in the city's High Court and Bangabazar areas on Tuesday.

Of the cases, four were filed with Shahbagh Police Station while the other with Ramna Police Station, Maruf Hossain Sorder, deputy commissioner of police (Ramna division), told The Daily Star.

He said they arrested 30 BNP men, including the party's Sports Affairs Secretary Aminul Islam, on the spot.

The law enforcers later placed the arrestees before a Dhaka court and sought a 10 day-remand for each. The court, however, sent them to jail and set December 10 for hearing on the remand petition.

DC Maruf said, “We are now trying to identify the other suspects based on the statements of the eyewitnesses and Footage of CCTV [installed in the area]."

Police charged the accused with vandalism, arson, attack on cops and obstructing them from performing their duty.

The accused include BNP Joint Secretary and Dhaka City South President Habib-un-Nabi Khan Sohel, Jubo Dal President Saiful Islam Nirob and Secretary Sultan Salahuddin Tuku, Central Chhatra Dal Vice President Jakir Hossain Mintu and BNP central leader Nabiullah Nabi.

On Tuesday, over 100 BNP men vandalised the vehicles and torched the motorbike after police foiled their bid to bring out a procession. The opposition activists had gathered in that area to go to a special court at Bakshibazar that granted bail to party Chairperson Khaleda Zia in Zia Orphanage and Zia Charitable Trust graft cases.

The BNP men also clashed with law enforcers for around half an hour, leaving at least 25 people, including three cops, injured, said witnesses and police.