Bail denied, DUCSU VP candidate Jalal sent to jail over ‘murder attempt’

He is accused in a case filed by the hall provost after an alleged attempt to kill his roommate

A Dhaka court has ordered Dhaka University Central Students' Union (DUCSU) vice president candidate Jalal Ahmad, also known as “Jwalamoyi Jalal”, to be sent to jail in a case over the alleged attempted murder of his roommate.

Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Minhazur Rahman passed the order on Wednesday following a petition by the investigation officer.

Jalal's lawyer Zayedur Rahman applied for bail, but the court rejected the plea after hearing both sides, said Sub-Inspector (SI) Zinnat Ali of Shahbagh Police Station’s Prosecution Division.

Jalal, a student from the 2018–19 session of the Television and Film Department, is a residential student of room 462 at Haji Muhammad Mohsin Hall.

According to the complaint, he allegedly beat up his roommate Mohammad Robiul Haque and struck him with a broken fluorescent tube at midnight on Tuesday, leaving him bloodied.

Following the incident, university authorities handed Jalal over to police.

Md Serajul Islam, the hall provost, filed a case at Shahbagh Police Station on Wednesday, accusing Jalal of attempted murder.

After Jalal was shown arrested in the case, SI Md Asadul Islam, the investigation officer, produced him before the court and sought his detention in jail custody.

During the hearing, Zayedur argued that the case was a counterattack against his client. “His roommate is illegally staying in the hall. They had an altercation, during which the roommate assaulted him, then filed this case.

“There is no remand prayer, and no medical certificate from the alleged victim. I request bail,” he said.

Opposing the plea, Public Prosecutor Kaiyum Hossain Nayan urged the court to reject it.

After hearing both sides, the magistrate asked Jalal to speak.

Jalal told the court, “My roommate was supposed to leave the hall but didn’t. I was preparing to file a writ petition in the High Court to have him removed. He found out about it and attacked me with intent to kill.”

Showing his injured hand to the magistrate, Jalal said: “When he tried to hit me, I grabbed his hand. That’s how I got hurt. Now they’re saying I stabbed him. Do the tests if you want -- see for yourself. My roommate is an outsider. He’s not even a hall resident.”

The magistrate then asked Jalal whether he was an independent candidate in the DUCSU polls, to which Jalal replied yes.

Jalal sought bail under any condition, but the magistrate said: “Now all eyes are on DUCSU. It is the second parliament.”

In court, Jalal said: “I took part in the quota reform movement. I went to jail three times during the Awami League’s rule. Now the fascist Awami League is gone, yet I am still standing here.”

The magistrate eventually dismissed his bail petition and ordered that he be sent to jail.