Dhaka Police Arrest Key Suspect in Lawyer’s Murder Case in Chattogram Court Clash

Dhaka Police arrested one of the main suspects on Thursday in connection with the murder of lawyer Saiful Islam Alif, which occurred during a violent clash at the Chattogram court premises, according to Bangladesh’s The Daily Star.

Md Shahin, officer-in-charge (OC) of Bhairab Police Station, said that the accused Chandan was arrested by a joint team of Bhairab and Chattogram Kotwali police in Bhairab Junction Railway Station in Kishoreganj.
Video footage showed Chandan, wearing a helmet, attacking Saiful Islam with a machete multiple times during the clashes, The Daily Star reported. According to OC, Chandan went into hiding after the murder.
Abdul Karim, officer-in-charge of Kotwali Police Station, said that the accused will be taken to Chattogram and presented before the court soon.
On November 26, clashes erupted after the bail hearing of former ISKCON leader Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari in a sedition case. The violence resulted in the murder of lawyer Saiful Alam, who was beaten to death outside the court premises.
After the incident, Saiful Alam’s father, Jamal Uddin, registered the murder case against 31 named individuals. Furthermore, lawyer’s brother registered another case accusing 115 people, The Daily Star reported.
Police have registered three separate cases against those involved, citing charges of assaulting police officers, vandalism, and hindering the work of law enforcement during the clashes.
Chinmoy Krishna Das, who is associated with the Sammilita Sanatani Jagaran Jote, was arrested in Dhaka on November 25. The arrest followed a complaint file on October 31 by a local politician that accused Chinmoy Das and others of disrespecting Bangladesh’s national flag during a rally of the Hindu community.
On December 3, a Bangladesh court set January 2, 2025 as the next date of hearing in the case. Chinmoy Das who is currently in custody is expected to remain in jail.
The Chattogram court deferred the hearing on the bail petition of Chinmoy Krishna Das to January 2, The Daily Star reported. Chattogram Metropolitan Session Judge Saiful Islam set the new date for the hearing as the defence lawyer was absent from the court.
Chittagong Metropolitan Police’s Additional Deputy Commissioner (Prosecution) Mofizur Rahman later confirmed this information to Bangladesh media.