Dhanmondi assaulted woman arrested in July attempted-murder case
During 'Dhaka Lockdown' called by the Awami League whose activities are now banned, a woman was assaulted yesterday, Thursday, after going to Dhanmondi 32.
A video showing a young woman beating the middle-aged woman with a stick has spread online. Today, Friday, police have shown her arrested in an attempted murder case filed during last year’s July movement.
Dhanmondi police presented the woman, named Salma Islam, before the Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Court this afternoon. Magistrate Partha Bhadra of the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Court rejected her bail petition and ordered that she be sent to jail.
Salma Islam’s lawyer, Abul Hossain Patwary, told Prothom Alo that the investigating officer of the case, Dhanmondi Police Station Sub-Inspector (SI) Anwar Hossain, requested that his client be remanded in jail. On the other hand, they applied for bail. After hearing both sides, the judge ordered her to be sent to jail.
According to the lawyer, 42-year-old Salma Islam lives in Azimpur and is a housewife. Yesterday, she was assaulted at Dhanmondi 32.
Regarding how Salma Islam was arrested, the case’s investigating officer Anwar Hossain told Prothom Alo: “She was beaten after chanting ‘Joy Bangla’ yesterday. A few people then handed her over to us.”
Salma Islam has been shown as an arrested suspect in a case filed last year on 19 July, during the anti-government movement, when a university student was shot in Dhanmondi. The police requested that she be kept in jail to ensure a proper and impartial investigation of the case.
Regarding the incident in the case filed on 1 December last year, the investigating officer stated in a court submission that the complainant is a third-year BBA student at European University.
During the nationwide student movement against discrimination in July 2024, the complainant actively participated in the protests from the beginning.
On the night of 19 July, around 10:40pm, the complainant and others were marching in front of Star Kabab in Dhanmondi. At that time, under the direction of certain accused individuals, other accused, armed cadres of the Awami League and its affiliates, as well as the 14-party alliance, with modern weapons, rifles, pistols, local swords (ramda), machetes, Chinese axes, rods, and bamboo sticks, attacked the students in a premeditated attempt to suppress them and prevent them from pursuing their legitimate demands.
One bullet hit the complainant’s back and exited through his abdomen. He later received treatment at various hospitals.
When the case was filed, the names of 37 individuals, including Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader, were listed as accused. After the case was filed, the investigation was taken over, and in the court submission regarding Salma Islam, SI Anwar wrote: “During the investigation of this case, preliminary evidence indicates the involvement of the arrested accused in the incident of this case.”
Salma Islam’s lawyer, Abul Hossain, has contested the investigating officer’s statement. He told Prothom Alo: “She (Salma Islam) shouted ‘Joy Bangla’ in Dhanmondi 32 yesterday afternoon in a moment of emotion. A mob formed there and beat her. Even though she was a victim, she was brought to court today in the July attempted-murder case. This is completely unjust. She has been accused in a case for a crime she did not commit. We demand justice.”
When asked why Salma Islam was shown as arrested in this case, investigating officer Anwar Hossain told Prothom Alo: “She was shown arrested in this case on the instructions of senior officers. A few witnesses have stated her involvement, and she was shown arrested based on their testimony.”
Regarding whether the people who handed Salma Islam over testified, the investigating officer said, “Other witnesses besides them have also provided statements.”