Ayash, Rimi sent to jail in Rabindranath graffiti defacement case

A Dhaka court on Tuesday sent accused Al Nur Mohammad Ayash and Marzia Khandaker Rimi to jail following their remand in a case filed over an alleged attempt to deface a graffiti of Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore near the Shilpakala Academy.

Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Md Riyad Hassan passed the order after a hearing, said state prosecutor Harun Or Rashid.

Earlier in the day, Shahbagh Police Station Sub-Inspector Abdul Gaffar Himel, the investigating officer in the case, produced them before the court and sought an order to send them to jail.

During the hearing, several lawyers, including Monir Hossain Sumon, sought bail for the accused, which the prosecution opposed.

However, a commotion broke out between lawyers for the prosecution and the defence during the bail hearing.

Following the incident, the judge left the courtroom. About five to six minutes later, he returned and ordered the accused to be sent to jail.

On Sunday, the court granted three days’ remand for ANM Ayash, member secretary of Rashtra Sanglap Forum, and Md Sakibul Hasan, and two days’ remand for Sujan Mia and Marzia Khandaker Rimi following their arrest in the case.

On Tuesday, two other accused, Sakib and Sujan, were sent to jail after the end of their remand in the same case.

They were detained on Saturday while allegedly attempting to deface and damage the graffiti of Rabindranath Tagore on a wall in front of the Shilpakala Academy in Segunbagicha.

Later, Shahbagh Police Station Sub-Inspector Ziaul Haque filed the case against them on allegations of promoting enmity or hatred between different groups, committing deliberate and malicious acts intended to hurt religious feelings, and criminal conspiracy under the Penal Code.