14 BNP men get 6-week anticipatory bail from HC in New Market mayhem case

The High Court has granted six-week anticipatory bail to 14 leaders and activists of the BNP in a case filed over the clashes between shopkeepers and Dhaka College students in the New Market area that left two persons dead and scores injured.

In a case filed by the police on Aug 20, the BNP activists were accused of conspiracy, vandalism, arson, and obstructing law enforcers from discharging duties during the clash.

Former New Market unit BNP president Mokbul Hossain, currently in police custody, is the prime suspect in the case.

Ten other people were named in the case. Another 800 to 1,000 unidentified Dhaka College students and New Market traders and workers were also accused.

The bench of Justices Mustafa Zaman Islam and Md Salim granted the bail after hearing a petition submitted by the defence counsel Kayser Kamal, who is also the law affairs secretary of the party, on Tuesday.

The 14 BNP workers are- Amir Hossain Alamgir, Hasan Jahangir Mithu, Harun Hawlader, Shah Alam Shontu, Shahidul Islam Shahid, Japani Faruq, Mizan Byapari, Asif, Rahmat, Billal, Monir, Julhas, TIpu and Babul.

According to the case statement, Alamgir, Mizan, Tipu, Patwary, Harun, Shontu, Shahid, Faruq, Mizan, Asif had instigated the skirmishes while Rahmat, Bilal, Monir, Julhas, Mithu, Mintu and Babul and 200 to 300 unidentified traders and workers armed with sticks, rods and hockey sticks threw bricks at Dhaka College students, who took up positions at the college main gate after vandalising shops inside the New Market.

In retaliation, 500 to 600 unidentified students had also pelted brickbats at them, reads the case statement.

After the hearing, Defence Counsel Kayser said these cases are politically motivated and the police are being used as a “tool” by the government.

“One of the accused, Mintu, died two years ago while former president of Chhatra Dal’s Dhaka College unit Faruq, had earned the nickname ‘Japani Faruq’ because he has been living in Japan for the last year and was not even in the country when the clash had taken place,” Kayser said.

So far, four cases have been filed in relation to the clashes.

Eighteen-year-old courier Nahid Hasan was hacked to death by assailants during the violent clashes while Moralin, 27, died at the intensive care unit of the Dhaka Medical College Hospital after he was struck in the head by a brickbat.