Two remanded over crude bomb blast at NCP rally

A Dhaka court on Tuesday placed two accused on a two-day remand in a case filed over a crude bomb blast at the National Citizen Party's (NCP) rally in Savar.

The accused are former Jubo League leader Md Nurul Islam, 52, and Jubo League activist Md Sajib, 32.

Dhaka Senior Judicial Magistrate Md Tajul Islam Sohag passed the order after hearing both sides, prosecution division Court Sub-Inspector (CSI) Md Bahaj Uddin said.

Earlier, the investigation officer of the case, Sub-Inspector Md Shakhawat Imtiaz of Savar Model Police Station, produced the two before the court and sought a seven-day remand.

The defence opposed the remand prayer and sought bail, arguing that the accused had been arrested from their homes around 3:30am while asleep and were implicated only to harass them.

The defence also claimed that the two are not involved in politics and had been falsely implicated due to local rivalry and the instigation of a third party.

According to the remand petition, the explosion occurred in front of the stage during an NCP rally at Tarapur Eidgah Ground in Savar on Monday (6 July) night, leaving several people, including two journalists, injured.

Police recovered parts of a tin container believed to have been used in the explosive device, along with pieces of red adhesive tape, wire fragments and sand from the blast site.

The petition said the two accused had been seen moving suspiciously in and around the rally venue before and during the programme.

Police told the court that custodial interrogation was necessary to identify the masterminds and other suspects, recover additional explosives and determine the motive behind the incident.

Salamat Ullah Rony, member secretary of the NCP's Dhaka North district unit, filed the case with Savar Model Police Station against unidentified persons.