Police have arrested Shahriar, identified by law enforcement as the alleged mastermind behind the attack and vandalism at content creator Salman Muqtadir’s studio and New Gini Properties at ECB Chattar in Dhaka.
Shahriar was arrested from Bailey Road in the capital after Sunday noon.
He has been named accused No 1 in a case filed by New Gini Properties over the incident.
In a separate development, Dhaka Metropolitan Police’s Detective Branch (DB) arrested Shah Alam Anik, vice-president of the Bhashantek thana unit of Jubo League, from the Cantonment area on Sunday in connection with the vandalism.
DB chief and Additional Commissioner Shafiqul Rahman confirmed Anik’s arrest, saying he was being questioned over several allegations.
“We took him into custody some time ago. There are several allegations against him, and we are questioning him,” he said.
According to law enforcement officials, Anik was involved in the attack on Salman Muqtadir’s studio. He was later taken to the DB office for questioning.
DB sources alleged that Anik had close links with Shahadat, whom police describe as a top criminal in Mirpur, and had worked as an agent for Shahadat and Ibrahim.
The sources also claimed that a preliminary investigation had found evidence supporting allegations that Anik was involved in underground activities.
According to DB, Anik’s father is Abu Sayeed and his ancestral home is in Narsingdi. He had been living in the Parbat Senpara area of Mirpur.
DB sources further alleged that Anik was known locally as an associate of former Awami League lawmaker Elias Mollah and Jubo League leader Mainul Hossain Nikhil.
They said Anik had faced allegations of involvement in various criminal activities in Mirpur, Bhashantek, Kafrul, Pallabi and Cantonment during the previous Awami League government. Several cases have also been filed against him over alleged criminal activities.
Police said the investigation into the vandalism and the roles of those involved was ongoing.
The arrests followed an attack on Saturday night at New Gini Properties and Salman Muqtadir’s studio at ECB Chattar.
Police had earlier detained three people from the scene. Their identities were not initially disclosed.
Cantonment Police Station Officer-in-Charge Gias Uddin said on Sunday that the three detainees were being questioned and that police were conducting operations to arrest other suspects.
The vandalism reportedly caused extensive damage to New Gini Properties as well as the studio.
Assistant Commissioner Nazmul Haque said the incident stemmed from a dispute between two groups over land at the property.
“One party, unable to access their land, brought a group of people who then carried out the vandalism. Salman’s studio was inadvertently caught in the middle of the dispute between the two opposing groups,” he said.
