3 more arrested over New Market clashes

The Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) has arrested three more persons in connection with last month's mayhem between New Market traders and Dhaka College students.

The arrestees are- Md Mahmudul Hasan Siam, a third-year student of Bangla Department of Dhaka College, and fast-food shop workers Moazzem Hossain Shojib and Mehedi Hasan Bappi, said RAB Commander (legal and media wing director) Khandaker Al Moin at a press briefing in Dhaka on Thursday morning.

Md Mahmudul Hasan Siam was arrested from Shariatpur while Moazzem Hossain Shojib and Mehedi Hasan Bappi were arrested from Cox's Bazar, RAB confirmed.

According to primary interrogation, Shojib and Bappi worked at the Welcome Fast-food shop. On 18 April, they got into a fight with the staff of another shop called Capital Fast-food over setting up tables to sell foods during iftar period, the RAB Commander Khandaker Al Moin said.

Later, the duo called some miscreants for assistance and to establish supremacy. Some 10-15 people showed up soon and started beating up the staff of Capital Fast-food around 11:30pm, Moin said.

Dozens of people from both sides were injured in that clash. However, the conflict remained unresolved which led to more violent clashes between Dhaka College students and New Market traders on the next morning, the RAB official said, adding that Shojib and Bappi fled to Cox's Bazar following the incident.

On the other hand, Mahmudul Hasan Siam, who was seen hitting the slain deliveryman Nahid with locally-made weapon on CCTV footage, was arrested in connection with Nahid's murder.

Nahid Mia, 20, who was critically injured in the clash and died while undergoing treatment at Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) on the night of 19 April.

The deadly clash that began on the night of 18 April, continued for two days, leaving a deliveryman Nahid and a shopkeeper Morsalin dead, and nearly 50 others injured.

A total of five cases, including two murder cases, were lodged over the incident so far.

On 22 April, police arrested former president of Dhaka New Market thana BNP Advocate Maqbool Hossain, one of the main accused in a case filed by New Market thana police for obstructing police work, and vandalism.

On 28 April, police also arrested five students of Dhaka College in connection with the beating and hacking of deliveryman Nahid Mia to death.

A Dhaka court on the same day placed each of the students on a 2-day remand. Later on 1 May, they were sent to jail by another court in Dhaka upon completion of their remand.

The accused students are- Md Abdul Kaiyum, 24, Palash Mia, 24, Mahmood Irfan, 24, Junaid Bugdadi, 19, and Foysal Islam, 24.

According to the Detective Branch (DB) of Police, all of them were at the front touting sharp weapons during the clash.

All five of the accused were involved in student politics and members of Bangladesh Chhatra League- student wing of ruling Awami League, said several sources at Dhaka College.