Case filed over explosion at NCP rally in Savar, 2 Jubo League activists arrested
Police have filed a case under the Explosives Act over the explosion that occurred during a rally following the National Citizen Party (NCP)'s July march in Savar, on the outskirts of Dhaka. Late on Monday night, Md Salamat Ullah, member secretary of the NCP's Dhaka District North unit, lodged the case against unidentified individuals.
Md Jahangir Alam, additional superintendent of police (Crime, Operations and Traffic North) of Dhaka District, confirmed the news to Prothom Alo.
The First Information Report (FIR) alleges that an organised banned group may have been involved in the explosion. In connection with the incident, police detained two members of the banned Jubo League as suspects and later showed them arrested in the case.
The two arrested individuals are Md Nurul Islam, 52, of Purba Bhakum village under Singair police station in Manikganj, and Md Sajeeb, 32, of the Anandapur area of Savar.
Saidul Islam, officer-in-charge (OC) of the Dhaka District Detective Branch (North), told Prothom Alo that detectives detained the two men from Anandapur in Savar at around 2:00 am on Tuesday.
He said that Nurul Islam is the former General Secretary of a union unit of the Jubo League under Singair police station, while Sajeeb is a Jubo League activist in Savar. Police later handed both men over to Savar model police station.
Shamima Parveen, superintendent of police (SP) of Dhaka District, also confirmed the matter. She said detectives had detained the two men as suspects and, after questioning them, formally arrested them in the case filed on Monday night.
According to the summary of the FIR, the NCP organised a rally at Tarapur Eidgah Ground under Savar model police station as part of its pre-announced July march programme.
The formal proceedings began after sunset. At around 9:30 pm, the party's Convener and Opposition Chief Whip Md Nahid Islam, Member Secretary Akhtar Hossain, Chief Organiser for the Northern Region Sarjis Alam, and other central leaders arrived at the venue.
The FIR states that the power supply was cut five to ten minutes before the central leaders took the stage, leaving the venue in darkness. Although organisers later restored lighting with a generator, it provided inadequate illumination.
They unsuccessfully attempted to contact the electricity authorities. At approximately 9:42 pm, while the leaders were delivering their speeches, an explosion occurred 10 to 15 feet in front of the stage.
The blast filled the area with thick white smoke. Immediately afterwards, people at the rally ran in different directions in panic, and several individuals sustained serious injuries and were bleeding.
The FIR further states that the organisers shortened the rally and proceeded to Savar model police station to file the case.
It alleges that the unidentified suspects carried out the explosion with the intention of killing NCP leaders and the general people attending the rally.
Nabila Tasnid, convener of the NCP's Dhaka North, told Prothom Alo, “We expect the police to conduct an impartial investigation and bring the actual perpetrators to justice.
If an impartial investigation finds anyone guilty, regardless of which party they belong to, we want them to be punished. However, if someone is innocent, whether they belong to the Awami League (activities banned) or the BNP, we never want an innocent person to be punished.”
She added, “We did not leave the police station until nearly midnight after filing the complaint last night (Monday). Then, after conducting what was described as an impartial and proper investigation, the police arrested two people by the following morning! That is not clear to me.”
She further said that if the police take action merely to avoid responsibility without conducting an impartial investigation, then the police themselves will have to bear responsibility for it.