11 Sent to Jail, Including Bar Staff, in Case over Assault on Chhatra Dal Leaders in Dhanmondi

A total of 11 people, including the manager and bouncers of 'Koyla Restaurant and Bar' at Concord Tower on Dhanmondi 27 in Dhaka, have been sent to jail in a case over the assault on Chhatra Dal leaders and activists in front of the bar.

On Friday, Metropolitan Magistrate Israt Jahan ordered them sent to jail following an application by the investigating officer. Sub-inspector Mizanur Rahman of the prosecution department confirmed the information.

Those sent to jail are Ward 31 Chhatra League joint general secretary Tanvir Ahammed Molla alias Raja, Jubo League worker Akbar Hossain, Suman Mia, Jasim Khan, Shahadat Islam, Rafiqul Islam, Jahidul Islam, Shipon, Mahbub, Kaiyum and Rakibul Islam.

The investigating officer, Sub-inspector Ukyamong Rakhain of Mohammadpur Police Station, produced the accused before the court and applied to keep them detained in jail.

Lawyer Salauddin Niazi applied for bail on behalf of the nine accused other than Raja and Akbar. At the hearing he said the accused were staff of Koyla Restaurant and Bar and were not involved in politics.

Calling the case fabricated, Salauddin Niazi said today is November 13, yet the application to detain the accused in jail was dated November 12, which itself showed the case was made up. He sought bail, saying there was no specific allegation against the accused and no remand application.

After the hearing, the court ordered the accused sent to jail and set Sunday for a further hearing on bail.

The case allegation says Dhaka Metropolitan West Chhatra Dal former vice-president Motahar Hossain Niloy, Mohammadpur Thana Chhatra Dal joint convener SK Sajeb, Chhatra Dal worker Akash and others were taking Tanvir Ahammed Molla and Akbar Hossain away after detaining them from Dhanmondi Kabab Ghar on Wednesday.

At around 8:30 p.m., when they reached below Dhaka Bank at Dhanmondi-17 in the Mohammadpur police station area, the other accused and 30 to 40 unidentified people, on Suman Mia's orders, beat them indiscriminately with cane sticks, iron rods and hockey sticks with intent to kill, injuring them in various parts of the body, the allegation says.

People nearby came forward at their screams and Mohammadpur police arrived after receiving the news. Police and the public together detained 11 people while the other accused fled the scene. Motahar Hossain filed the case at Mohammadpur Police Station on Thursday.

Earlier, at around 10 p.m. on Wednesday, Chhatra Dal leaders and activists were assaulted at a bar on Dhanmondi 27 when they went to catch a leader of the banned Chhatra League. Three Chhatra Dal leaders and activists were injured. Police later raided and detained Dhaka Metropolitan North Chhatra League joint general secretary Raja and his associate Suman. The bar manager and several security staff were also detained.

Police and Chhatra Dal sources said restaurant worker Suman fled and took shelter in the Koyla bar when they tried to detain him over alleged involvement in Chhatra League politics. Chhatra League leader Raja then arrived to free him. When Chhatra Dal leaders tried to enter the bar, they clashed with security staff. Motahar Hossain, SK Sajeb and Akash were injured, with head injuries.

At the time, Additional Deputy Commissioner Jewel Rana of the Mohammadpur region said eight to nine people, including two Chhatra League leaders, had been detained and taken to the police station in the incident. Action would be taken according to law if a complaint was received, he said.