Police detectives have arrested Advocate Maqbool Hossain, a former president of the New Market Thana branch of the BNP, for his alleged links to the deadly skirmishes at Dhaka’s New Market and surrounding areas.
He was arrested at his home in Dhanmondi on Friday, said AKM Hafiz Akhtar, additional commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police, reports bdnews24.com.
“A case has been started against him,” he said.
Maqbool is named as the prime suspect in a case filed at New Market Police Station by Inspector Yamin Kabir. The charges include obstructing government activity, attacking police, throwing brickbats, vandalism and injuring others.
Twenty-three other suspects are named in the case alongside 200-300 unnamed New Market traders and workers and 600-700 Dhaka College students.
According to city corporation records, Maqbool is registered as the owner of the stores ‘Welcome’ and ‘Capital Fast Food’ – whose employees were involved in sparking the violence on Monday night.
However, Maqbool does not run either of the stores himself and instead rents them out.
Around midnight on Monday, the feud between the two stores entangled a number of Dhaka College students and resulted in a clash. The violence continued throughout Tuesday, injuring several dozen and resulted in the deaths of two people.