Police sue 7 BNP leaders alongside AL man arrested with crude bombs

A union-level Awami League leader was arrested in Narsingdi with crude bombs, gunpowder and bomb-making materials on Tuesday, but police accused seven BNP leaders as well as the AL man in the case filed over the incident early Wednesday.

Other than Iman Hasan, organising secretary of Alokbali Union Awami League, seven district and thana unit BNP and Jubo Dal leaders were named as accused.

The seven BNP men are: Jahidul Karim Jahid, a member of Narsingdi unit BNP's executive committee; Mohsin Hossain Biddut, president of district unit Jubo Dal; Shamim Sharker, member secretary of Narsingdi town unit Jubo Dal; Humayun Kabir Rasel, convenor of Sadar Thana Jubo Dal, Nazrul Islam, former president of District unit Chhatra Dal; Shah Alam Chowdhury, convener of Alokbali Union Parishad; and Abdul Kaiyum Sarker, the parishad's member secretary.

Sub-Inspector Mohammad Yousuf Ali of Narsingdi Sadar Police Station filed the case saying the accused conspired to illegally store explosives.

Three crude bombs, 540 grams gunpowder, 74 pieces of stones and 54 pieces of marbles were recovered from Iman's house, the case statement mentioned.

The SI in the case statement mentioned detailed names and addresses of Iman and Kaiyum, and only names and ages of the remaining six accused were mentioned.

Accused Shah Alam told our Narsingdi correspondent, "I have been made the eighth accused in the case where Alokbali and Narsingdi Sadar have been used as my address ... Police implicated me falsely in the case to harass me due to my political identity."

Another accused Jubo Dal leader Shamim said they do not have any relationship with the Awami League leader. "Police recovered crude bomb and gunpowder from the house of AL leader but filed the case against BNP men. Police should sue AL leaders involved with Iman in the crime," he said.

Contacted by The Daily Star for comment, Narsingdi Sadar Police Station Officer-in-Charge Abul Kashem Bhuiyan hung up when asked the reason for suing local BNP and Jubo Dal leaders. 

The complainant of the case SI Yousuf did not answer the phone, despite several attempts to contact him. 

Meanwhile, Asadullah, president of Alokbali UP AL, said rival groups within the party put the bombs at Iman Hasan's house to implicate him in the case. 

"We are investigating who are involved in this incident. Organisational action will be taken against those involved," he said. 

Al Amin Mia, an additional superintendent of police in Narsingdi, said police filed the case against those found involved in the incident. 

"Police do not file cases against anyone without a particular reason. Political identity is a personal matter. But we are looking into the matter," he said.