Court Correspondent :
A Dhaka court on Thursday placed two individuals, including Bangladesh Jatiyo Party (Manju) Chairman Andaleeve Rahman Partho, on a five-day remand each in connection with the vandalism and arson attack on Setu Bhaban in Dhaka on July 18.
The other accused, Rezaul Hasanat David, is alleged to have financed the perpetrators involved in the offenses.
Dhaka’s Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Md Sultan Sohag Uddin issued the remand order after Abu Sayeed Miah, Inspector of the Detective Branch of Police and the Investigation Officer (IO) of the case, presented a 10-day remand plea.
In the remand application, the IO stated that Partho had declared solidarity with the students protesting for quota reform and was implicated in the arson at Setu Bhaban. Meanwhile, David is alleged to have played an active role in financing the students to sustain the movement.
The IO argued that their remand was necessary to uncover vital clues about the incident.
Claiming his innocence, Partho told the court that he was not involved in the heinous offenses.
David’s lawyer asserted that his client was abroad from July 13 to July 23, requesting that their bail petitions be granted.
However, the lawyer did not present any documents to support David’s claim of being abroad during that period.
After hearing both sides, the court rejected the defense pleas and granted the remand.
On Wednesday, another Dhaka court placed seven BNP leaders, including Saiful Alam Nirob, on a five-day remand in the same case.
On July 18, nearly 250-300 unidentified individuals stormed the Setu Bhaban premises, vandalized numerous vehicles and motorbikes, ransacked various sheds and rooms, and subsequently set them on fire.