Attack on CJ Residence: Top BNP leaders ‘accepted responsibility’

Police yesterday claimed the central leaders of BNP, who are in police custody, have accepted responsibility over the attack on the chief justice’s residence and setting fire to a bus in the capital centring the party’s October 28 rally.

Harun Or Rashid, additional commissioner (detective branch) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police, made the claim while addressing reporters at his office on Minto Road. “They [central BNP leaders] even commented that such sabotage was not right.”

Harun said the BNP leaders initially claimed that the sabotage was not done by their party men.

“Then we showed them the CCTV footage… We told them that they were on stage, leading the rally,” said the DB chief.

“They saw in the video — what role the central leaders played, who were on the rally stage, where and how Sultan Salahuddin was running with a stick, and Rabiul Islam Nayan was setting the fire. After seeing the footage, they [BNP central leaders] also expressed grief,” said Harun.

“We got many names of those who engaged in violence centring the BNP rally, and have arrested several people, including Syed Hasan Mintu, agriculture affairs secretary of Jubo Dal’s central committee. We recovered 8kg of gunpowder from his house,” Harun said.

Mintu admitted that he made the gunpowder with assistance from Rabiul Islam Nayan and Sultan Salahuddin, the DB chief claimed. Also, arrested Chhatra Dal central leader Hasan Howlader admitted to setting fire to a BRTC bus, Harun also said, adding that all the arrestees were led by Sultan Salauddin Tuku.

“We identified many others involved and they will be arrested soon,” he added.