Four armed persons identified as Chhatra League men

Police have identified two persons directly involved in the hacking of courier service employee Nahid Hossain, during the clash in the New Market area on 19 April. Both of them are students of Dhaka College and stay at the college’s North Hall. One of them is Quayum. Police did not want to disclose the name of the other.

Both of them are followers of a leader of the dissolved committee of Bangladesh Chhatra League's Dhaka College unit.

Dhaka Metropolitan Police's Detective Branch sources said that those two were identified based on video footage and information given by the witnesses.

Besides, two more have been identified among the people who were seen wielding sharp weapons on the roads that day. Those two are also students of Dhaka College and are involved in politics.

DB said Nahid was hacked with sharp weapons by several people, some of whom wore helmets. A photograph of one of them was published in the media. The identity of the person, whose photo came in the media, could not be fully confirmed as yet. However, two people are being suspected, one of whom could be that person.

According to the information from Prothom Alo’s investigations and police sources, followers of four leaders of the dissolved Chhatra League convening committee of the college were more active among the students of Dhaka College who took part in the clashes with sharp weapons and helmets. The ones involved in Nahid’s murder are followers of Jasim Uddin, member of the dissolved convening committee and Firoz Hossain, top candidate of the upcoming Chhatra League committee of the college.

In this regard Jasim Uddin said to Prothom Alo on Saturday evening that he was not familiar with the people seen in the video. The situation on the day of the incident (Tuesday) was not in their control. He said he had seen Quayum, who actively participated in the clashes, in the college hostel. Quayum is involved in politics with another group. However, he could not confirm which leader Quayum followed.

DB officials could confirm that one of the persons, involved in Nahid’s hacking is an occupant of room no. 201 at North Hall of Dhaka College. A source of Dhaka College Chhatra League informed Prothom Alo that supporters of Jasim Uddin also stay in that same room. Jasim Uddin said students of different political groups live in room no. 201.

Students of Dhaka College locked in clashes with traders and workers of New Market on the night of 18 April. The incident reportedly sparked off from a dispute of two workers of two restaurants at New Market.

Since then clashes continued throughout Tuesday, between students of Dhaka College and local traders, workers and hawkers in the New Market area on Mirpur Road. Till now two people have died in the clashes while, nearly 50 people sustained injuries.

Prothom Alo tried to contact central leaders of Bangladesh Chhatra League, Al Nahian Khan Joy, president and Lekhak Bhattacharjee, general secretary several times over phone on Saturday night, to know about the issue of Chhatra League leaders-activist participating in clashes and attacks carrying sharp weapons. But, none of them picked up the calls.

Later, Syed Arif Hossain, vice-president of central Chhatra League committee said to Prothom Alo, it is very unfortunate for someone from Chhatra League to be seen participating in clashes-attacks with sharp weapons. Legal actions should be taken against those, whose involvement will be found through investigation. Strict measures will be taken from the organisation as well.

Among the two deceased in the clashes on Tuesday, the murder of courier service employee Nahid Hossain’ is being investigated by DB. It is also conducting the shadow investigation in salesman Mohammad Mursalin’s murder case. Although this case is being investigated by New Market Police Station for now, the process of handing this one to DB as well is underway.

HM Azimul Haque, deputy commissioner of DB in Ramna said to Prothom Alo that none have been arrested in connection to Nahid’s Murder yet. People are giving different types of information about the ones being seen in the video footage. DB is trying to ascertain the identity of the persons involved after examining the information.

Meanwhile, among the people whose photos were published in Prothom Alo on Saturday, identities of two persons could be confirmed. One of them is Shahin Sadek Mirza, a member of the dissolved convening committee of Dhaka College Chhatra League unit. He is from Barishal and resides in room no 218 of the college’s North Hall. The other is Kawsar Hamid alias Shada Kawsar, a leader of Dhaka College Chhatra Legaue unit.

When contacted over phone about being involved in the clashes carrying sharp weapons, , Shahin Sadek Mirza said to Prothom Alo on Saturday evening, “If the photo that was published is mine, then there’s nothing to hide.” However, in the next moment he claimed that the man in the published photo is not him. It was not possible to contact Kawsar Hamid over phone.

DB sources say, people who participated in clashes and violence with sharp weapons on Tuesday, are mainly followers of Dhaka Colleges’ dissolved Chhatra League convening committee’s co-convener Samad Azad alias Zulfiqar, member Shafiq Ahmed, Jasim Uddin and Shahin Sadek Mirza. DB said they all were present on spot during the clashes on that day. Of them Shahin was seen holding a sharp weapon himself.

Samad Azad didn’t deny being on the spot during the clashes. However, he claimed that he tried to prevent students from getting involved in the clashes that day, but failed to do so for police restrictions.

Firoz Hossain, top candidate of the upcoming new Chhatra League committee of the college, claimed that he was not on the spot of the incident that day.

A DB source says, supporters of Shafiq Ahmed, a member of the dissolved convening committee, were the most active in the incidents of the clash, vandalism and attacks.

Shafiq Ahmed told Prothom Alo that along with his supporters, the supporters of many other leaders took part in the clashes. However, he refused to comment on whether his followers were involved in the killing of Mursalin or not.

A DB official said the traders and salesmen who participated in the clashes holding sharp weapons and wearing helmets are being identified as well.

Meanwhile, the court has approved a three-days remand to interrogate BNP leader Mokbul Hossain, under a case filed by police. Mamunur Rashid, magistrate of Dhaka’s Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (CMM) court gave the order on Saturday, based on police’s appeal. Safayet Hossain, sub-inspector of Dhaka Metropolitan Police confirmed this to Prothom Alo.

Mokbul Hossain was made the prime accused in a case filed by police with New Market Police Station in connection to the clashes under allegations of obstructing government actions, attacking police, throwing stones, vandalism and injuring people. All the 24 people including Mokbul, who have been accused in this case, are BNP leaders and activists of the New Market area.

In all four cases including two murder cases have been lodged in connection to Tuesday’s clashes in New Market area. And, 1,574 people have been accused in these four cases. Among the accused, names of only 24 persons have been mentioned in the cases while the rest of them are unidentified.

Meanwhile, BNP has decided to probe the incident of the clash in New Market area. For that, a three-membered committee will be formed, said BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir. During a press briefing at the party’s Gulshan office on Saturday, he said BNP will reveal the findings of the investigation report in front of public. At the time he also said, violent attackers involved in the New Market clash are Chhatra League activists. At least three people, who are active members of Dhaka College Chhatra League unit, could be identified from the video footage. But, the government is indulging in its old games by not arresting them, he added.