Student Leaders Face Court Orders

A court in Jhenaidah has granted a one-day remand for two student leaders in connection with a case involving arson on a passenger bus, while ordering five others to be sent to jail in a related vandalism case.

The order was issued on Thursday (12 February) by Judge Mokhlesur Rahman of the Senior Judicial Magistrate’s Court–2 in Jhenaidah. Court Police Inspector Md. Moktar Hossain confirmed the development to local media, stating that the court delivered the decision after hearing separate remand petitions submitted by police.

According to court sources, the first case relates to an incident on the night of 7 February when a bus parked at the local bus terminal was reportedly set on fire. Police filed a case accusing several activists affiliated with the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement of involvement in the arson. Investigators sought a ten-day remand to question two suspects—Humayun Kabir, the former joint convener of the district committee of the movement, and Abu Hasnat Tanaim, convener of the district unit of an organisation called “The Red July”.

Following the hearing, the court granted a one-day remand for each of the two leaders to allow investigators to question them regarding the alleged incident. Police argued that custodial interrogation was necessary to gather further information about the planning and execution of the arson attack.

In a separate but related case, authorities accused several other activists of vandalising the Srijoni Filling Station during unrest in the same locality. Police again applied for a ten-day remand for five individuals believed to have been involved in the alleged attack.

However, after reviewing the application and hearing submissions from both sides, the court rejected the remand request. Instead, the judge ordered that all five suspects be sent to jail pending further legal proceedings.

The accused in the second case include senior and organisational leaders of the district committee of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement.

Summary of Court Decisions

Law enforcement officials stated that investigations into the incidents are ongoing. Authorities are examining the sequence of events surrounding the alleged arson and vandalism, as well as the possible involvement of additional individuals.

Local observers note that the incidents have heightened tensions in the area, prompting law enforcement agencies to intensify monitoring around key public facilities such as transport terminals and fuel stations. Police officials indicated that further legal action may follow as the investigation progresses.