11 held over murder of Islami Jubo Andolan leader

 
NARAYANGANJ, Aug 21: Police on Friday arrested 11 suspects in connection with the murder of Islami Jubo Andolan Bangladesh, the youth wing of Islami Andolan Bangladesh, leader Mujahidul Islam Bulbul in Narayanganj.

Among the detainees was Sheikh Sifat, alias “Kata Sifat”, a suspected leader of a teen gang.

The victim’s brother filed a murder case against 41 named accused and 10 to 12 unidentified individuals with Bandar Police Station, said its officer-in-charge, Jamal Uddin.

“We have conducted raids and arrested 11 accused, including key suspects Sheikh Sifat and Jumman,” said Jamal on Friday afternoon.

He said the police were conducting drives in different places to apprehend other suspects.

According to party activists, Bulbul, vice-president of the Bandar thana unit of Islami Jubo Andolan Bangladesh, was attacked by local juvenile gang leader Sifat and members of his group on Thursday evening over a case filed by Bulbul following an attack and looting at his garage during the anti-discrimination student movement.

They said Sifat and his associates attacked Bulbul in Salehnagar on Thursday night in retaliation for the case.

On Friday morning, IAB activists and its associate bodies blocked the Dhaka-Chattogram highway in the Modonpur area around 9:00am, burning tyres, bamboo and wood. The blockade caused several kilometres of tailbacks on both sides of the highway. Protesters demanded the immediate arrest of Sifat and his associates.

Khalid Saifullah, an activist livestreaming the protest, said, “We want those responsible for Bulbul’s murder to be hanged publicly.”