A Chattogram court yesterday ordered nine suspects to be shown arrested in a case over the murder of lawyer Saiful Islam Alif amid violence centring on the arrest of a former ISKCON leader.

The court of Chattogram Metropolitan Magistrate also placed eight other accused individuals on a seven-day remand in another case over attacks on police and obstruction of duty.

Those shown arrested in the murder case are Rumit Das, Sumit Das, Gagan Das, Nayan Das, Vishal Das, Aman Das, Moon Methor, Rajiv Bhattacharya and Durlav Das -- all sanitation workers.

The eight accused who were placed on remand are Partha Chakraborty, Apurba Shil, Ujjwal Das, Apu Chandra Saha, Niloy Das, Dhrub Das, Delwar Hossain and Md Nuru.

Mofizur Rahman, additional deputy commissioner (prosecution) of Chattogram Metropolitan Police, said the court granted police petitions for the arrest and remand of the accused in the two cases. The 17 accused were produced before the court in the morning under tight security. They were sent to jail in the afternoon.

Police said they arrested nine people last Tuesday and Wednesday after watching video footage of the murder. But since there was no murder case filed at that time, they were sent to jail in a case over assault on the police.

Jamal Uddin, father of the slain lawyer, later filed a murder case against 31 named accused and 10-15 unidentified individuals. Four more cases were filed over attacks on police, obstruction of duty, attacks on lawyers and trial seekers, and crude bomb explosions. So far, 39 people have been arrested in these five cases.

APP UNDER FIRE

Assistant Public Prosecutor Nezam Uddin faced intense protests by lawyers after an advocate, Sanjida Gafur, filed a petition for the bail of two accused – Md Nuru and Md Delwar Hossain, who were remanded yesterday.

She attached a letter of defence of Nezam to the bail plea. As the news spread, lawyers gathered outside Nezam's office demanding his resignation. The agitators also demanded that Public Prosecutor Mofizul Haque Bhuiyan step down.

Although Nezam was forced to sign a resignation letter prepared by the demonstrators, Chattogram Bar Association General Secretary Syed Ashraful Hossain Chowdhury told The Daily Star that it was not valid.

To step down as an APP, one has to personally go to the deputy commissioner and sign the resignation letter, according to Ashraful. They can also go to the law ministry and submit the resignation letter there.  

He also said Nezam cannot be held responsible for the document with the bail petition filed by his junior Sanjida since it did not have his seal or signature.