A Dhaka court on Monday sent former joint secretary general of Hefazat-e-Islam and general secretary of its Dhaka city unit, Mamunul Haque, to jail upon completion of his remand in police custody in a case filed with Paltan police station over Hefazat’s mayhem in Baitul Mukarram Mosque vicinity, this March.
Metropolitan Magistrate Nivana Khair Jesi passed the order as she declined his bail application after hearing both the sides as police produced Mamunul before the court after his nineteen-day remand in five cases and prayed for keeping him in jail.
Police had arrested Mamunul Haque at Jamia Rahmania Madrasa of Mohammadpur neighbourhood on April 18. The court first placed him on a seven-day remand in a case of burglary and vandalism, filed with Mohammadpur police station.
Later, on April 26th, he was again put on seven-day remand over two separate cases with Paltan and Motijheel police stations respectively, filed over Hefazat’s mayhem in 2013 and committing violence during anti-Modi campaign this year.
It is worth citing here that Hefazat-e-Islam had opposed the decision to invite Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on March 26 to commemorate the golden jubilee of Bangladesh’s independence and the birth centenary of Father of the Nation, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. The group held protests at Hathazari of Chattogram, Brahmanbaria of Cumilla Chittagong and Baitul Mukarram Mosque areasin the capital. Clashes erupted with police during their agitation. They ransacked and vandalized various government establishments. Several cases were lodged against Mamunul and his accomplices at different police stations including a few in the capital.
Mamunul Haque was recently caught together with a woman by Chhatra League activists at a resort at historic town of Sonargaon. On the day of the incident, three cases were filed against the leaders and activists of Hefazat for attacking and vandalizing the Royal Resort at Sonargaon. One of the cases brought rape charges against him. Police may pray for three weeks of remand to interrogate Mamunul in that case which is scheduled for hearing on May 12 in the Judicial Magistrate’s Court in Narayanganj district.
