One held over attack on Sarwar’s house

The Police Bureau of Investigation on Monday said it arrested a teenager at Uttara in Dhaka earlier in the day pertaining to the attack on the house of Liberation War Museum trustee Sarwar Ali on January 5.

The PIB also said that the attack was probably a robbery attempt, but it could be ascertained after the arrest of the family’s former chauffer.

PIB special superintendent Basir Ahmed at a press conference in its Agargaon office in the afternoon said arrested Mohammad Farhad, 18, of Kamalakanda in Netrakona is a day labourer in profession.

He said they had learnt that a group of seven led by Sarwar’s former family driver Nazrul tried to loot valuables of the family.

He said that they during investigation collected the CCTV footage of a hotel named Rose Valley in the capital’s Ashkona.

The footage suggested that they were seven in a group at about 5:00pm on January 5 in the hotel before committing the crime later in the night.

Basir claimed that Farhad was hired by Nazrul at Tk 500 per day and was assigned for the robbery.

Another PBI official said that the seven people checked in the hotel room 303 on January 3 and stayed until January 5.

Following the incident, the Uttara police arrested two persons — Sarwar’s driver and caretaker — but they were not part of the group of seven.

Basir said Farhad was told that he would be given huge money following the attack but he was not on the upstairs with two youths who stormed into the multi-storey building. 

He, however, could not explain what exactly led Nazrul quit the job of Sarwar’s family.

The PBI officials claimed that it might not be the case of extremist attack and the group got more than 15 minutes on third and second floors but did not hurt anyone during the time.

Following the attack, Renata Limited directors board chairman

Sarwar Ali said the attack might be linked to his role in the movement for justice over the war crimes committed during the liberation war.

The police also seized seven billhooks, a mobile, one screw driver, a stun gun, an iPad, a video camera stand, a blood-pressure machine and synthetic rope.

According to the first information report on the incident, Sarwar escaped unhurt but his wife Makhduma Nargis, daughter Sayma Ali, son-in-law Humayun Kabir and two of his neighbours suffered minor injuries in the knife attack.

Politicians, academics and human rights activists at a protest rally at Shahbagh on Monday condemned the attack and they sought prompt actions against the suspects.

Sammilita Samajik Andolan, a civic rights body, organised the rally, where national professor

Anisuzzaman, Oikya NAP leader Pankaj Bhattachrya, rights activist Sultana Kamal, Dhaka University professor MM Akash, politicians Anisur Rahman Molick, Nazmul Haque Prodhan, Harun-or-Rasjid,  Razia Samad Dalia, and DU teacher Azizur Rahman, Robayet Ferdaus, women leader Rekha Chowdhury and others spoke at the rally.

News Courtesy: www.newagebd.net