A Dhaka court on Tuesday sent to jail former cultural affairs minister Asaduzzaman Noor and former state minister for civil aviation and tourism M Mahbub Ali in a case lodged over the murder of hotel staff Siam Sardar in the capital's Mirpur area during the recent anti-discrimination student movement.
Besides, a Dhaka court on the same day placed former railways minister advocate Md Nurul Islam Sujon on a three-day remand in a case filed over the death of a student, Imran Hossain, in Dhaka's Jatrabari area on August 5.
Noor and Mahbub, who were arrested last night from the capital's Bailey Road and Segunbagicha areas respectively, were produced before the court of Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Mosharraf Hossain. Allowing a plea of the police, the court sent the duo to jail.
According to the case documents, Siam Sardar, 17, used to work at Hotel Rabbani in the capital's Mirpur area. He got shot at the Mirpur-10 intersection area while returning to his home after finishing his work at the hotel on July 18. Siam was rushed to a nearby hospital, but he succumbed to his injuries on the way.
Siam's father Sohagh Sardar filed the case on September 4 against 114 including former home affairs minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal.
On the other hand, former Railways Minister Nurul Islam Sujon was arrested on Monday night from Bangladesh Specialized Hospital in Dhaka’s Shyamoli. Sujon was taken into custody by law enforcement officials from Room 833 of the hospital.
Nurul Islam Sujan is an accused in a case filed at Jatrabari police station in the capital. He has been arrested in connection with that case. He served as minister of railways during 2019-2023.
Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Shahin Reza passed the order after Md Shah Alam Miah, a sub-inspector of Jatrabari Police Station and also the investigation officer of the case, produced him before the court with a five-day remand prayer.
In the remand prayer, the IO said Nurul Islam was involved with the incident, and he needs to be remanded to find out the vital clues about the incident and whereabouts of other fugitives responsible for committing such offences.
This marks the third arrest of a former minister of the ousted Awami League government in the last three days. Former public administration minister Farhad Hossain was arrested in Dhaka’s New Eskaton on Saturday night.
On Sunday night, former minister and actor Asaduzzaman Noor detained from his residence in the Nawratan Colony on Bailey Road, and former state minister for civil aviation and tourism Mahbub Ali was apprehended from Segunbagicha.
After Sheikh Hasina resigned and fled to India on Aug 5, an interim government was formed three days later.
Since then, top Awami League leaders, including ministers and state ministers, as well as influential MPs, are being arrested one by one.
Among those arrested are former law minister Anisul Haq, former social welfare minister Dipu Moni, former ICT Minister Zunaid Ahmed Palak, and former advisors Salman F Rahman and Tawfiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury.
Sujon, a law graduate from Dhaka University, served as the science common room secretary of the Dhaka University Central Students' Union, or DUCSU, and was also the international affairs secretary of the central committee of the Bangladesh Chhatra League.
He later became the legal affairs secretary of the central committee of the Jubo League. He was also the general secretary of the Supreme Court Bar Association.
Claiming himself innocent, Nurul Islam told the court that he was not involved with the murder. He sought bail and cancellation of the remand prayer.
Upon hearing both the sides, the magistrate turned down the defence pleas and placed him on remand for quizzing about the killing.
