Police on Wednesday arrested eight youths in connection with the killing of a Bangladesh Jatiotabadi Chatra Dal activist, Md. Alam, during a factional clash between two groups of the Bangladesh Jatiotabadi Juba Dal in Chattogram鈥檚 Bakalia area.
The arrests were made in overnight drives from Tuesday evening to Wednesday noon across Bakalia, other parts of Chattogram city, and adjoining upazilas, said Md Iktiar Uddin, officer-in-charge of Bakalia police station.
鈥楽oon after the murder, we collected CCTV footage and other evidence from the scene. Once the case was recorded, several teams carried out drives in Bakalia, Patiya, Satkania, and Banshkhali upazilas areas. Later, we were able to arrest eight accused. They were produced before court on Wednesday afternoon and sent to jail鈥� the OC said.
Among the eight detainees, six were named in the murder case. They were Sabuj Islam Miraj, 24, Sayedul Islam, 20, Emran Hossain Sagar, 30, Tamzidul Islam, 47, Md Arafat, 22, and Jihan, 22.
Police said except for Sayedul, all are residents of south Chattogram.
The remaining two, Md Osman, 28, and Didarul Alam Rasel, 24, were arrested based on investigation findings, the police said.
The case was filed by the victim鈥檚 father, Md Alam, on Tuesday night, accusing 17 named and about 35鈥�40 unnamed persons under several sections of the Penal Code.
Earlier, Md Sajjad, 22, a Chhatra Dal activist, was shot dead and at least 14 others were injured during a gunfight between two factions of Juba Dal on Syed Shah Road in Bakalia early Tuesday at about 12.30am.
Sajjad, a resident of Taktarpul in Bakalia and originally from Muradnagar in Cumilla, was known as a follower of expelled Juba Dal leader Emdadul Haque Badsha, an aide to former city BNP president and current Chattogram City Corporation mayor Dr Shahadat Hossain.
Police said that the clash erupted over pulling down banners marking Juba Dal鈥檚 founding anniversary. The banners carried photographs of Dr Shahadat Hossain and former city Chhatra Dal president Gazi Siraj and were installed by local Juba Dal leader Borhan Uddin.
Supporters of Badsha reportedly tried to remove the banners, citing the mayor鈥檚 directive against unauthorized posters, which triggered the confrontation and subsequent gunfight.
OC Iktiar Uddin said that efforts were underway to trace the remaining suspects and recover the firearms used in the shooting.
