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Arson attempt at July memorial, 41 detained
Published : Monday, 2 November, 2026 at 6:46 PM
Observer Online Report
Police have detained 41 people in separate drives across Jessore on charges of sabotage, while investigating an attempt to set fire to the July memorial at Bakultala in the town.
The attempted arson took place on the southern side of the memorial in front of Garib Shah Mazar late on Sunday (November 1). The incident was reportedly recorded and circulated on Facebook by several leaders of the banned Jubo League.
Police have collected footage from nearby CCTV cameras to identify those involved. A police source said footage showed three young men approaching the memorial late at night. Two of them allegedly used petrol or another flammable substance to set fire to its lower section, while the third recorded the incident.
The source also said Jubo League leader Anwar Hossain Bipul, former municipal councillor Alamgir Kabir Sumon and former convenor of the Jubo League's Sadar upazila unit, Robiul Islam, among others, shared the video on their verified Facebook pages.
However, claims on Facebook that the entire memorial had been burnt down were incorrect. The structure remains intact, with only black marks visible on its southern side, around six to seven feet above the ground. There were also indications that someone had tried to remove the marks.
On Monday (November 2) afternoon, a team from Jessore District Police visited the memorial.
Meanwhile, police detained 41 people from different parts of the district, including 17 Jubo League leaders and activists, over allegations of sabotage. The detentions followed a brief anti-government procession in Maikpatti area of Jessore town early Sunday.
Additional Superintendent of Police (Crime and Operations) Mirajul Islam said the police were investigating the attempted arson and trying to identify and detain those involved.
He said 41 people had been detained in operations by police from the district's nine police stations and the Detective Branch (DB). Of the detainees, 17 were from Kotwali Police Station area, while police had information that seven of them had directly taken part in the procession.
The detainees included two from Chougachha, three from Manirampur, two from Sharsha, four from Abhaynagar, three from Keshabpur, four from Bagherpara, four from Benapole Port Police Station and two from Jhikargachha.
Mirajul Islam said the special drives were conducted to maintain law and order, control crime and combat drugs and terrorism. Such operations would continue, he added.
Meanwhile, the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement has announced a protest meeting at the foot of the July memorial on Monday afternoon to condemn the attempted arson.
In a further development, the district police have closed two police personnel assigned to guard the memorial. Mirajul Islam said two officers were deployed at the memorial every evening and were on duty on the night of the incident. However, two suspects entered the premises, set fire to the memorial and fled. Police have collected CCTV footage from cameras near the site and are analysing it to identify those involved, he added.
- MaT
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Editor : Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury
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Published by the Editor on behalf of the Observer Ltd. from Globe Printers, 24/A, New Eskaton Road, Ramna, Dhaka.
Editorial, News and Commercial Offices : Aziz Bhaban (2nd floor), 93, Motijheel C/A, Dhaka-1000.
Phone: PABX- 41053001-06; Advertisement: 41053012; 01793317829, 01550707291, 01550707296
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