Court sends 15 arrested in Prothom Alo attack case to jail

A Dhaka court has ordered 15 people arrested in connection with the attack, vandalism, looting and arson at the Prothom Alo office to be sent to jail.

Metropolitan Magistrate Jewel Rana passed the order on Monday after a hearing.

The accused are Naim Islam, Sagar Islam, Ahad Sheikh, Biplob, Nazrul Islam alias Minhaj, Jahangir, Sohel Mia, Hasan, Mohammad Russell, Abdul Baker Sheikh alias Alamin, Rashedul Islam, Saidur Rahman, Abul Kashem, Pranto Sikder and Raju Ahmed.

Prothom Alo filed a case at Tejgaon Police Station on Sunday night, accusing 400 to 500 unidentified people under sabotage, anti-terrorism and special powers laws over the attack on its office. Following the case, 17 suspects were arrested from different areas.

Court sources said the investigation officer, Tejgaon Police Station Inspector Abdul Hannan, produced the accused before the court and sought their detention. Defence lawyers filed bail petitions, which were opposed by the prosecution. After the hearing, the court rejected the bail pleas and sent the accused to jail.