B'baria Mayhem: 21 more held, 8 remanded

Law enforcers rounded up 21 more people in Brahmanbaria's Nasirnagar upazila on Sunday night for their alleged involvement in the synchronised attack on the Hindus on October 30.

With this, some 74 people have so far been arrested over the attack when religious zealots and goons looted over 100 houses and business establishments and 17 temples of Hindus and beat up over 100 people in Nasirnagar town and Haripur union of the upazila.

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The arrests were made based on several video footage filmed during the attack, OC Abu Zafar of Nasirnagar Police Station told The Daily Star.

The mayhem occurred over a Facebook post purportedly from the account of local fisherman Rasraj Das, “hurting religious sentiment” of the Muslims.

Meanwhile, Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan said people who would be found guilty of carrying out the attack would be brought to book.

“What happened in Brahmanbaria is unexpected and we all are concerned about the incident,” he told reporters at the secretariat.

The minister is scheduled to visit the district today. He is likely to exchange views with people in Nasirnagar around noon.

EIGHT REMANDED

A Brahmanbaria court yesterday placed eight suspects on three-day remand each in a case filed in connection with the October 30 attack.

The Chief Judicial Magistrate's Court passed the order after they were produced before it, Court Inspector Mahbubur Rahman told this newspaper.

The district administration yesterday distributed Tk 3 lakh and 114 bundles of corrugated iron sheets among 51 Hindu families as compensation, reports UNB.

Brahmanbaria Deputy Commissioner Rezaunur Rahman handed over the cash and iron sheets to the families in the morning. Chairman ATM Moniruzzaman Sarker of Nasirnagar upazila and Vice Chairman Anjan Kumar Deb were present.

Four cases have been filed with Nasirnagar Police Station in connection with the attacks.

BNP BLAMES AL

Blaming the ruling Awami League men for Nasirnagar attacks, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir yesterday said such atrocities were carried out repeatedly to tarnish the country's image.

The names of attackers' leaders appeared in media reports, he said, alleging that the AL men were involved in the attacks which were orchestrated to shift the blame on the BNP.

PROTESTS CONTINUE

Teachers and students of Barisal University formed a human chain on the campus yesterday, demanding speedy trial of Nasirnagar attackers.

They also demanded the government constitute a judicial inquiry committee to investigate the incidents and ensure proper rehabilitation and compensation for victims.

Teachers of Jahangirnagar University, under the banner of “Sammilita Shikkhok Parishad”, formed a human chain protesting the attacks.

The programme was held on Shaheed Minar premises of the campus around noon. The teachers demanded exemplary punishment to the attackers.

Another human chain was formed by students of Rajshahi University near the main entrance to the institution around 11:00am. The protesters demanded judicial inquiry into the attack and resignation of Fisheries and Livestock Minister Sayedul Hoque.