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VIOLENCE CASES IN PORT CITY

Over 126 students arrested in a week
FM MIZANUR RAHAMAN, Ctg
On Sunday, Rezaul Karim Kusum Chowdhury was waiting at Chattogram’s 6th Metropolitan Magistrate Court for a bail petition hearing for his nephew Talha Mahmood Chowdhury, who was arrested in a violence case over the quota reform protests.
Talha, a final-year student at East Delta University, was arrested from the Agrabad area in the port city on July 17 and was handed over to Khulshi Police Station on July 18, where he was shown arrested.
However, the court rejected his bail petition.
On the court premises, Rezaul, a freedom fighter, told The Daily Star, “Police picked Talha up without verifying his identity and sent him to court. We told them that he is not involved with any political parties or violence but they did not pay heed.”
“We filed two petitions for his bail but the court rejected them. Talha has already been taken for remand,” he said.
Many other students and their guardians were also seen on the court premises.
Over 126 students from different educational institutions, including Chittagong University, were arrested in the past week till Sunday, according to the court’s GRO sections and prison sources.
Police officials said they are arresting the anarchists who were directly involved with the subversive activities.
So far, Chattogram Metropolitan Police has arrested 532 people, including leaders and activists of BNP and Jamaat, in connection with 20 cases filed over violence and subversive activities.
Ramjan Sheikh, a first-year CU student, was arrested on July 18 in a murder case filed by police with Panchlaish Police Station.
At the court premises, his father Mostafa Sheikh, a mason by profession, said his son is innocent and not involved with any kind of politics.
“We could not trace him until police sent him to the court on July 20,” he added.
In front of the court’s lockup, Ramjan said, “I took part in the protests in Muradpur on July 16. On July 18, a group of BCL men came to my house in Forest Research Institute area and took me to Parkview Hospital, where injured BCL men are undergoing treatment. Later, I was handed over to police.”
“A local BCL man named Arif took me from my house,” he added.
However, The Daily Star could not verify Ramjan’s information independently.
Meanwhile, Lutfur Rahman, a student of Finance and Banking at CU, was arrested from his residence on July 17, said Prof Hasmat Ali of the department.
“On information, six teachers, including me, went to Panchlaish Police Station. Police showed him arrested in a violence case. The duty officer told us they found some photos and videos related to the protests on his cell phone,” said Prof Hasmat.
Contacted, Mokhleshur Rahman, deputy commissioner of CMP’s North Zone, said, “ After looking at videos and CCTV footage, we are arresting those involved in clashes on July 16 and July 18.”
Meanwhile, a BCL man filed another case accusing 50 persons and 30 to 35 unnamed persons with Panchlaish Police Station.
With this, a total of 20 cases have been filed in the port city, accusing over 200 named and 30,000 unnamed people.
Arif Hossen, AC of Panchlaish Zone, said, “Seven cases were lodged with Panchlaish Police Station, five of which were lodged by BCL men and their family members, while two were lodged by police.”