Police have arrested six more people in connection with an arson attack on several Hindu households in Raozan and Rangunia, Chattogram, bringing the total number of arrests to seven.
Chattogram Range DIG Md Ahsan Habib Palash formally announced the arrests on Tuesday afternoon.
The attacks took place in different areas of Raozan and Rangunia, with doors locked from outside before Hindu homes were torched.
The arrested are Mohammad Omar Faruk, Mohammad Kabir Hossain, Kartik Dey, Biplob Barua, Mohammad Lokman and Mohammad Parvez. Police detained them from different parts of Chattogram.
Police said they recovered four provocative banners, two kerosene containers, one kerosene bottle, three empty plastic sacks, a mobile phone, a CNG-run auto-rickshaw and a motorcycle from the detainees.
According to DIG Palash “Six were detained based on information and evidence obtained from earlier arrestee Monir Hossain.”
Without naming any specific group, Palash said all those involved were active members of a “banned organisation”.
Police earlier arrested Monir Hossain on 2 January from Langadu in Rangamati.
According to a previous statement issued by the district police, several arson attacks on residential houses took place late at night in Raozan and Rangunia police station areas. Identical provocative banners were recovered from each crime scene, made from ‘Anchor’ brand motor husk sacks and other plastic sacks.
Police also noted, the banners carried inflammatory statements aimed at disrupting social harmony, along with names of several individuals and multiple mobile numbers.
Police records show Monir faces four cases in Langadu and Raozan, including theft and narcotics charges. He previously served a six-month prison sentence in one of the theft cases.
