Dhaka: A court in the capital has issued arrest warrants against former lawmaker Mohammad Saiful Islam and 31 others on charges of murder. The former lawmaker was elected with the now-disbanded Awami League ticket from the Savar-Ashulia constituency.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, police stated that Islam and the others are accused of fatally shooting a youth named Biplob Mandol in Ashulia during an uprising in July last year. Senior Judicial Magistrate Tajul Islam issued the arrest warrants after considering the complaint, as confirmed by Ashulia police station sub-inspector Biswajit Biswas.
All the accused are reportedly linked to the disbanded party's Ashulia unit. Mandal's family lodged a case, alleging that on August 5, 2024, the accused attacked protestors from the group Students against Discriminating (SAD) using firearms and sticks at the bypass intersection in Ashulia.
The incident occurred when Mandal was fleeing with other protestors, and bullets struck his neck. He was taken by fellow protestors to Sheikh Fazilatunnesa Mujib Memorial KPJ Specialized Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Among the other accused are Awami League's Ashulia Union unit president Shamim Ahmed Sumon Bhuiyan and vice president Gias Uddin Molla.
On August 31, Mandol's sister Memi filed a murder case with the Ashulia police station. Earlier, on August 27, Police Bureau of Investigation's sub-inspector Imran Ahmed submitted a charge sheet against 45 people, including the former MP. Out of the 45 accused in the charge sheet, 13 are currently in jail.