1 arrested over death of 3 Tabligh followers
Muaz was the fifth accused in the case. He has spoken to journalists many times on behalf of the Saad followers
Police have arrested an individual in a case filed over the death of three Tabligh followers during a clash between two groups of the religious community at the Ijtema Ground.
The arrestee has been identified as Muaz Bin Noor, spokesperson for the followers of Mawlana Saad and son of Nur Mohammad from Sector No-7 in Uttara.
Muaz was the fifth accused in the case. He has spoken to journalists many times on behalf of the Saad followers.
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Muaz was arrested on early Friday from the capital's Uttara (20 December), confirmed Officer In-Charge of Tongi West police station Iskander Habibur Rahman.
"A case was filed over the death of three people at Ijtema Ground on Thursday. Muaz, the accused no-5 in the case, has been arrested based on secret information from Uttara. Senior officials of Gazipur Metropolitan Police (GMP) were present during the arrest," the OC said.
Earlier, a murder case was filed 35 hours after the death of three people during a clash between two groups of Tabligh Jamaat that took place at the Ijtema Ground on Wednesday (18 December).
At least 30 people, including Mawlana Wasiful Islam of Saad group, have been named and hundreds of others have been kept unnamed in the case which was filed with Tongi West police station yesterday (19 December), confirmed GMP Commissioner Dr Nazmul Karim Khan.
SM Alam Hossain, a follower of Mawlana Jubayer, filed the case, Nazmul said.
According to the case statement, going against the government order Mawlana Wasiful tried to hold a "Jor Ijtema" with the followers of Mawlana Saad at the Ijtema Ground between 20-24 December.
They even threatened to foil the first phase of Bishwa Ijtema if Mawlana Saad was not given permission to attend it. At one point, they attacked the followers of Mawlana Jubayer who were guarding the ijtema ground, beat up and hacked three of his followers to death, the case statement says.
Earlier, leaders of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement Sarjis Alam and Hasnat Abdullah talked to the followers of Mawlana Saad and went to Kakrail Mosque to hold a discussion with the followers of Mawlana Jubayer on 17 December. Although they asked the Saad followers to remain clam, they carried out attacks on Jubayer followers at the ijtema ground, the case statement added.
As per the government decision, the first phase of the Bishwa Ijtema, organised by Zubayer's followers, will be held from 31 January to 2 February next year and the second phase, organised by Saad followers, will be held from 7 to 9 February.
According to media coordinators of the two groups, there is an ongoing dispute over whether Saad's followers will be able to hold a 'Jor Ijtema' at the Ijtema ground from 20 to 24 December and cases have also been filed.
