Suspect ‘confesses’ to murdering Sylhet blogger Ananta; another arrested, sent on remand

One of the arrestees has reportedly confessed in court to murdering blogger Ananta Bijoy Das in Sylhet earlier this year.

Mannan Yahia alias Mannan Rahi gave confessional statement to Sylhet Metropolitan Magistrate Anwarul Hakim on Wednesday, Court Police’s Inspector Nafizul Islam said.
 
Yahia and his brother Mohaimin Noman were arrested on Aug 28 in Kanaighat Upazila.
 
Police said Yahia had been writing on Facebook against bloggers using different profiles opened under various names such as Mannan Hira, Mannan Rahi and Abdul Mumin.
 
A Sylhet court the same day had sent them to seven-day remand in police custody.
 
The duo was presented in court on Wednesday after interrogation.
 
Secular blogger Ananta Bijoy Das, who worked for a bank, was the third of the four bloggers hacked to death this year.
 
On May 12, four assailants murdered the blog activist in broad daylight in Sylhet’s Subidbazar.
 
Das was an activist of the Ganajagaran Mancha, the forum demanding a ban on religion-based parties and maximum penalty for convicted war criminals.
 
Police have said militant outfit Ansarullah Bangla Team was behind Das’ murder.
 
The case investigation officer, CID Inspector Arman Ali, said Yahia’s brother Mohaimin Noman had not confessed yet. “I will plead to the court to take him in for further questioning.”
 
Police on Wednesday arrested another man named Abul Khayer for his suspected ties with the murder.
 
A Sylhet court gave police seven days to interrogate him later in the day, said Inspector Nafizul Islam.
 
Police on June 8 arrested a press photographer of a local newspaper in Sylhet for his suspected involvement in the murder. He is currently in lodged jail after police remand.