Case filed for desecrating Shaheed Minar

Police have filed two cases against the activists of the Jamaat-e-Islami and other Islami parties on charges of desecrating the Shaheed Minar, arson and attacking the law enforcers.

More than 5,000 activists of the Jamaat-e-Islami, Islami Chhatra Shibir and 12 like-minded parties have been accused, including the 70 named, in the cases filed on Saturday by Sub-Inspectors of the Kotwali Police Station Jamal Uddin and Komor Uddin, its Officer In-charge Ataur Rahman said.

The cases were filed under the Speedy Trial and Anti-Terrorism Act “for vandalising the Saheed Minar, creating mayhem and attacking the police with the motive to kill”, said the OC Ataur.

Thousands of leaders and activists under the banner of 12 like-minded Islamist Party had gathered at the city’s Court Point after Friday’s midday prayers and took out a procession towards the Saheed Minar. They desecrated the monument dedicated to the memory of the martyrs of the Bengali Language Movement and even set fire the flowers from the ceremonies of Feb 21 – International Mother Tongue Day.

The militants also set fire to the Army-administered Trust Bank and vandalised the Mujib-Jahan Blood Bank and the BMA complex.

The protesters attacked the police when the law enforcers tried to stop the frenzied militants. One person was killed during the clash.

Police say, Jamaat-e-Islami has been active in these attacks under the banner of the Islamist parties.