Killing of shopkeeper: Salman and Anisul placed on remand

A Dhaka court yesterday placed Salman F Rahman, private industry and investment adviser to former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, and former law minister Anisul Huq on a 10-day remand in a case filed over the death of a shopkeeper in the capital’s New Market area on July 16.

Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Md Mamunur Rashid passed the order in the presence of the duo after investigation officer Sajib Mia, a sub-inspector of New Market Police Station, produced them before the court with a 10-day remand appeal in the evening, said a sub-inspector working in the court.

In the courtroom, pro-BNP-Jamaat lawyers did not allow any lawyers to represent Salman and Anisul.

Two lawyers, who came to represent Salman and Anisul, could not stand inside the courtroom. They were assaulted by some unruly lawyers inside the courtroom, said witnesses.

Chaos inside the courtroom ensued when a man, claiming to be the father of the victim Shahjahan Ali, started shouting and demanding that the accused be hanged.

On the court premises, a group of lawyers even threw eggs at the accused before and after the hearing.

The hearing, where Salman and Anisul were also not allowed to speak to defend themselves, lasted only around three minutes.

Army, BGB, and additional police personnel were deployed on the court premises.

Salman and Anisul were arrested in Dhaka’s Sadarghat on Tuesday in a case filed with New Market Police Station over the killing of Shahjahan, 24, during quota reform protests on July 16.

Shahjahan was critically injured and later died at Dhaka Medical College Hospital, according to the case statement.

In  the police forwarding report, the investigator said the accused’s involvement in the  incident was preliminary found.

Salman and Anisul were trying to flee through the waterway, police earlier said.

Coast guards detained them in Narayanganj’s Pagla area and handed them over to police, said the media wing of Bangladesh Coast Guard on Tuesday night.