Attack on US ambassador’s motorcade: Charge sheet against 9

Police have submitted a charge sheet against 9 persons, including local Chhatra League leader Naimul Hasan, for an attack on former US ambassador Marcia Bernicat’s motorcade.

The charge sheet states that Bernicat had attended a dinner at the home of Badiul Alam Majumdar, secretary of SUJAN (Citizens for Good Governance). The attack was launched out of suspicion that anti-government conspiracies were being hatched at the meeting.

The Detective Branch (DB) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) recently submitted the charge sheet to the Dhaka Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (CMM) court.

Deputy commissioner of DMP’s crime and information department Md Jafor Hossain confirmed this to Prothom Alo.

Marcia Bernicat had attended a dinner at SUJAN secretary Badiul Alam Majumdar’s residence in Mohammedpur of the capital city on 4 August 2018. She was returning home after the diner at around 11:00pm when a group of armed motorbike riders attacked her car. When they were obstructed as they approached the motorcade, the assailants punched two members of the ambassador’s security team. They kicked two of the vehicles as the motorcade sped away. Badiul Alam Majumdar filed a case with the Mohammedpur police station regarding the incident.

According to the charge sheet, suspecting that there was an anti-government conspiracy going on, leaders and activists of the local Awami League and its affiliated organisations, led by local Chhatra League leader Naimul Hasan, hurled brickbats at the motorcade. When they chased US ambassador Marcia Bernicat’s car, she sped away. They threw brickbats at Badiul Alam Majumdar’s house, breaking his windows. They threatened the lives of Badiul Alam Majumdar, his wife and children.

The nine accused named in the charge sheet are Chhatra League leader Naimul Hasan, Firoz Mahmud, Mir Amjad Hossain, Shahidul Alam Khan, Tanha alias Mujahid, Saju Islam, Rajibul Islam, Md Siam and Oli Ahmed.