Staff Reporter :
A Dhaka court on Friday sent Bangladesh Jatiya Party (BJP) chairman and former member of parliament barrister Andaleeve Rahman Partho to jail after end of his three-day remand in a case lodged over vandalizing and setting fire to the Setu Bhaban in the capital’s Banani area.
On Friday Partha appeared in court after spending a total of eight days in police custody for questioning.
The incident in question involves an assault and arson at Setu Bhaban, which was part of the broader quota reform protests. The police had requested that Partha remain in custody until the investigation is completed.
During the court session, Inspector Abu Said Mia of the Detective Branch (DB) of Police, who is leading the investigation, argued that Partho’s continued detention was essential for the progress of the case.
Partho’s defense team, however, sought bail, contending that he should be released pending the investigation.
After reviewing the arguments from both sides, Metropolitan Magistrate Md. Rashidul Alam denied Partho’s bail application. The court ruled that he would remain in jail until the investigation into the case is concluded.
The case has drawn considerable attention given Partho’s high-profile status and the severity of the charges. The attack on Setu Bhaban, a significant governmental building, has been a focal point of the ongoing controversy surrounding quota reforms and student protests.
As the legal proceedings continue, the focus will be on the progress of the investigation and any further developments in the case. The court’s decision underscores the seriousness with which the authorities are treating the recent unrest and the violent incidents associated with it.
The police had arrested the former lawmaker from his residence in the capital’s Gulshan area on 25 July, in connection with a case filed over vandalism and arson at the Setu Bhaban in the Mohakhali area.
He was initially placed on a five-day remand in the case.
During the hearing, Partho’s lawyer argued that he had no connection with the politics of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, and there was no question of his involvement in the sabotage activities at the Setu Bhaban.