The counter-terrorism and transnational crime unit of Dhaka Metropolitan Police said on Saturday that they had arrested two leaders and an activist of the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party and its associated bodies in connection with setting a parked bus on fire in the capital and killing the driver鈥檚 assistant on October 29, 2023.聽
In a press conference at the DMP media centre, the CTTC chief and additional commissioner, Md Asaduzzaman, said that the BNP people were arrested on Friday evening on charges of setting fire to the Asim Paribahan bus in the capital鈥檚 Demra.
He added that an SUV car used in the crime was also seized.
Asaduzzaman claimed that the opposition set the parked bus on fire after checking that there was no coverage of CCTV cameras in the area.
The police produced the arrested Dhaka south city unit Juba Dal former vice president Monirul Islam Munshi, 37, Narayanganj city Juba Dal unit member secretary Sahed Ahmed, 38, and BNP supporter and Monirul鈥檚 driver Mahbubur Rahman Shohag, 33, before the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Court on Saturday.
The CTTC additional deputy commissioner, Ahmedul Islam, said that the driver made a statement before the court in Dhaka on Saturday, while Monirul and Sahed were remanded for two days each in police custody.
In a press release, the CTTC said that the bus driver鈥檚 assistant, Md Nayeem, 22, died on the spot, and another assistant, Md Robiul, 25, sustained burn injuries due to the arson attack.
A case was filed on the day with the Demra police station, which was transferred to the CTTC for investigation on November 11, 2023.
Family members claimed that plainclothesmen detained Monirul Islam, his driver Shohag, and one Babu along with their vehicle near Postogola Bridge at about 11:00pm on April 23.
Police and ruling Awami League supporters attacked BNP supporters to foil their grand rally on October 28, 2023.
A subsequent crackdown on the opposition saw nearly 25,000 BNP leaders and activists arrested, according to the party.