One arrested over attack on former US envoy Bernicat
On the night of 4 August 2018, the then-US Ambassador in Dhaka, Marcia Bernicat was attacked in the capital's Mohammadpur area
Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) today arrested a person involved in the attack on former US Ambassador to Bangladesh Marcia Bernicat.
The arrestee has been identified as Mohammad Ishtiaq Mahmud, brother-in-law of Sushashoner Jonno Nagorik Secretary Badiul Alam Majumdar, Tejgaon Division Deputy Police Commissioner HM Azimul Haque told The Business Standard.
Ishtiaq was recently accused in a fresh charge sheet filed by the Detective Branch (DB) of DMP.
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Badiul Alam Majumder, the plaintiff of the case, told TBS that it's a matter of the judiciary, and that he could not comment over the issue. "I haven't read the charge sheet yet, whether I don't know who is arrested or not. I can comment once I get the charge sheet," he responded.
Dhaka Chief Metropolitan Magistrate court received the chargesheet on Wednesday (4 October) and issued an arrest warrant against him.
According to sources, Ishtiaq is currently in Mohammadpur police custody and will be produced before the court on Thursday (5 October).
"I can't say whether it's positive or negative, all I can say is the trial is going on" When asked about the arrestee, his brother in law, Badiul refused to make any comment. "Accused is accused," he ended the conversation.
Recently, the DB submitted a supplementary charge sheet against nine people, including Bangladesh Chhatra League leaders, over the 2018 attack on Marcia Bernicat.
Mohammad Ishtiaq Mahmud, the brother-in-law of Sushashoner Jonno Nagorik Secretary Badiul Alam Majumdar, and Naimul Hasan alias Russell, president of Mohammadpur Chhatra League unit, have been accused in the charge sheet.
Many of the other accused in the charge sheet are also Awami League and Chhatra League leaders and activists, the official added.
On the night of 4 August 2018, the then-US ambassador in Dhaka, Marcia Bernicat, attended a dinner at the Mohammadpur residence of Badiul Alam Majumder. She was attacked when she was getting into the car after dinner.
Badiul Alam Majumder filed a case with Mohammadpur police station in this regard. The accused are – Chhatra League leader Naimul Hasan, Firoz Mahmud, Mir Amzad Hossain, Shahidul Alam Khan, Tanha alias Mujahid, Saju Islam, Rajibul Islam, Md Siam and Oli Ahmed.
They had also attacked the residence of Badiul and threatened him and his family that night, DB said in the charge sheet.
Five years have passed since the attack on Bernicat's motorcade, but no one has been arrested nor brought to justice.
Earlier in August this year, the DB sent a letter to the US Embassy in Dhaka, seeking information regarding the attack on Bernicat.
Recently, the Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Court ordered the DB to investigate the case further.
Marcia Bernicat served as the US ambassador in Dhaka from 2015 to 2018.
