Staff Reporter :
At least 30 people have been detained in connection with the murder of lawyer Saiful Islam and carrying out attacks on the law enforcement members near a Chattogram court in Kotwali area of the port city.
Joint forces conducted a series of raids to detain them on Tuesday night.
Chattogram Metropolitan Police (CMP) Additional Deputy Commissioner (Media) Kazi Md Tarek Aziz confirmed the matter on Wednesday.
He said they have been crosschecking information linked to the 30 people and taking preparations to file cases in connection with the murder and attack on the law enforcement agency members.
On Tuesday afternoon, lawyer Saiful Islam was hacked to death in the Rangam Cinema Hall area when followers of Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari attacked him. He was an assistant public prosecutor.
In the attack, at least 37 people, including 10 police members, were injured.
Bangladesh Sammilita Sanatani Jagaran Jote spokesperson Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari, who was arrested in a sedition case, was denied bail in a court in Chattogram on Tuesday noon.
When he was being taken to the prison from the court, his followers blocked the prison van, and started demonstrating there.
The prison van could not leave the court premises despite the combined efforts of the police, BGB, and army members to clear its way.
Around 2:45 pm, they fired sound grenades, launched tear gas shells, and used batons to disperse the demonstrators. It led to spells of chases between the two sides.
When the prison van was eventually leaving the premises around 3:00 pm, the followers of Chinmoy engaged in a clash with the police members.
Md Hasan, a lawyer who witnessed the incident, said during the violence the lawyer Alif received fatal injuries as the demonstrators hacked him. He was later taken to a hospital where he died.
Meanwhile, the first namaz-e-janaza Saiful Islam Alif was held around 10:45 am on the Chattogram court premises. A huge number of lawyers and local residents participated in the janaza.
Subsequently, his body was moved to the Jamiatul Falah Mosque ground for the second janaza.
According to sources, the final janaza is scheduled to be held in Lohagara, Chattogram, where Saiful Islam will be laid to rest.
The second janaza also witnessed a massive participation of people from all walks of life.
In the meantime, lawyers in Chattogram went on a two-day strike on Wednesday to protest the killing of lawyer Saiful Islam Alif.
The court activities remained suspended since morning and the lawyers gathered on the court premises to demand the immediate arrest of the perpetrators, said witnesses.
Besides, Hefazat-e-Islam Bangladesh on Wednesday demanded immediate arrest and exemplary punishment of the individuals responsible for public prosecutor Saiful Islam Alif murder.
Amir Allama Muhibullah Babunagari and Secretary General Maulana Sajedur Rahman have also strongly condemned the killing and claimed that the killers are connected to ISKCON supporters.
Earlier on Monday afternoon, DB police arrested Chinmoy Krishna Das from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka and brought him to Chattogram.
On 31 October, Firoz Khan, General Secretary of the Chandgaon Mohra ward BNP in Chattogram, filed the sedition case against Chinmoy Krishna and 19 others with Kotwali Police Station.
