Highschool principal on 14-day remand in Jatrabari arson cases

A highschool principal was placed on a 14-day remand by a Dhaka court yesterday in three cases filed centring Friday's arson attack on a bus in Jatrabari that left 28 people seriously burnt.

Meanwhile, 25 people were arrested after Jatrabari, Demra and Kadamtali police raided some 100 houses and establishments centring the attack.

The charges were over subversive activities, assault and obstruction on police from discharging duties, and the torching and injuries.

Apart from being a teacher at AK High School in the capital's Dania, Selim Bhuiyan is the president of Shikkhak Karmachari Oikya Jote, a pro-BNP teachers' organisation.

Sub-inspector Porimol Chandra Das, the investigation officer, had sought 30 days from Metropolitan Magistrate Md Mizanur Rahman in the cases filed with Jatrabari Police Station on Saturday.

Instigated by the BNP-led 20-party alliance's central leaders, Selim and local leaders and activists carried out the attack around 9:00pm, said the prayers, adding that the others needed to be identified.

Selim's lawyers submitted three separate petitions seeking bail and cancellation of the remand saying Selim was being harassed.

Four days were granted over the assault while five each in the remaining two.

The arson attack case accuses 68 BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami leaders, including several top ones, and a number of unnamed people.