Main accused in Shalla attack case put on 5-day remand

A Sunamganj court has granted a five-day remand of Shahidul Islam alias Swadhin, 50, the main accused in a case filed for attacking, vandalising and looting the houses of minority community in Noagaon village of Shalla upazila in Sunamganj.

The court also has granted a two-day remand of 28 more accused in the case.

Senior judicial magistrate Shyam Kant Singh passed the order on Tuesday. Sunamganj court’s police inspector Selim Newaz has confirmed the matter to Prothom Alo.

Police said that Shahidul is the main instigator of the attack. He is from the Nasni village in Sarmangal union. Shahidul is an UP councilor from ward no. 9. Members of Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI) arrested him from Kulaura in Moulvibazar.

On Sunday, the investigation officer of the case and sub-inspector (SI) Mohammad Abul Bashar appealed for a 10-day remand of Shahidul and 5-day remand of 29, who were arrested earlier.

The hearing for that appeal was held today. The court rejected the remand appeal of one.

On the morning of 17 March, people from four villages attacked the houses of the minority community in Noagaon village, alleging an offensive Facebook post regarding Hefazat-e-Islam leader Mamunul Haque. Houses and temples in the village were vandalised and looted.

Two cases have been filed in this incident at Shalla police station. Some 400 to 1,500 anonymous people have been made accused in the case lodged by SI Abdul Karim.

In the case filed by the chairman of Hobibpur union parishad, Bibekananda Mazumdar, some 1,400-1,500 anonymous people have been made accused. He also named 50 people as the accused in the case. Police have arrested 34 people so far.