Rajshahi Correspondent

Police on Saturday pleaded to a court in Rajshahi to place arrested Bagha Upazila Awami League general secretary Ashraful Islam Babul murder case's prime accused Bagha Pourasava mayor Akkas Ali on a five-day remand for questioning.

Following his arrested in Dhaka on Friday, he was brought in Rajshahi District Detective Branch of police's office on Saturday morning.

After priliminary questioning, he was produced before the Rajshahi Judicial Magistrate's court early Saturday afternoon. Then the magistrate directed to send him to Rajshahi jail, said the Rajshahi District Detective Branch sources.

Rajshahi District DB police inspector Ruhul Amin said Bagha Police Station inspector (Inquiry) Shoaib Khan is invsetigating the Awami League leader Babul murder case. The investigation officer (IO) produced the prime accused Akkas Ali at the court on Saturday and pleaded to place him on remand. However, the case documents are now at the Rajshahi District and Sessions Judge court as the other accused arrested earlier in the case sought bail to that court. Mayor Akkas Ali's remand hearing will be held after the arrival of the case documents following the hearing of the bail petitions of other accused.

The Motijheel Division of DB arrested him from Dhaka on Friday (June 5).

DMP's additional police commissioner (Detective) Mohammad Harun or Rashid said the Motijheel Division of DB arrested four more people apart from Rajshahi's Bagha Upazila Awami League general secretary Ashraful Islam Babul murder case's prime accused Bagha Pourasava mayor Akkas Ali. They were Majnu, Tutul, Abdur Rahman and Shopon. The arrested were handed over to Rajshahi district police.

On June 22 last, Bagha Upazlia Awami League formed a human-chain on Bagha Upazila Parishad premises against Bagha Pourasava mayor Akkas Ali's irregularities, corruption and authoritarian attitude. At that time, an attack was launched on the human-chain which left Bagha Upazila Awami League general secretary Ashraful Islam Babul critically injured. He succumbed to his injuries at Rajshahi Medical College Hospital on June 26 while he was undergoing treatment there. Then Akkas Ali came to Dhaka and went into hiding.

Then Bagha Upazila Jubo League's joint general secretary Shahinur Rahman Pintu filed a murder case at Bagha Police Station accusing more than 100 people including 32 identified individuals along with mayor Akkas Ali.

The prime accused Akkas Ali had been absconding following the murder. He was arrested along with his four associates from Motijheel area in Dhaka by the Detective Branch (DB) of police early Friday (June 5) morning. Then the accused were handed over to Rajshahi District DB police.