A Dhaka court has sent former textiles and jute minister Abdul Latif Siddiqui, Dhaka University law professor Sheikh Hafizur Rahman Karzon and 14 others to jail after rejecting their bail applications in an Anti-Terrorism Act case filed at Shahbagh Police Station in the capital.
Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Sarah Farzana Haque of Dhaka issued the order on Friday after hearing a petition filed by the investigating officer. Shahbagh Police Station Sub-Inspector Toufique Hasan, the investigation officer of the case, had requested that the accused be kept in jail custody.
Prosecution officer SI Jinnat Ali confirmed the court’s decision.
Along with Latif Siddiqui, the other accused include Md Abdullah Al Amin, Sheikh Hafizur Rahman Karzon, Manzurul Alam, Kazi ATM Anisur Rahman Bulbul, Golam Mostafa, Md Mahiul Islam alias Babu, Md Zakir Hossain, Md Tausiful Bari Khan, Md Amir Hossain Sumon, Md Al Amin, Md Nazmul Ahsan, Syed Shahed Hasan, Md Shafiqul Islam Delwar, Dewan Mohammad Ali, Md Abdullahil Kaiyum.
Earlier, 14 individuals, including Abdul Latif Siddiqui and Dhaka University law professor Sheikh Hafizur Rahman Karzon, were detained following a violent confrontation during a roundtable discussion at the Dhaka Reporters Unity (DRU) on Thursday.
The event was disrupted when a group, identifying as “July Fighters,” stormed the venue, accusing the participants of being affiliated with the Awami League.
In response to the violence, the Dhaka Metropolitan Police filed a case under the Anti-Terrorism Act, 2009, accusing the detainees of orchestrating the mob attack that led to the disruption.
