HC rejects anticipatory bail to Rongdhanu’s Rafiq

The High Court (HC) on Monday rejected anticipatory bail to Rongdhanu Group Chairman Rafiqul Islam in two cases of forcible land acquisition, attempting murder, house attack and looting in Rupganj of Narayanganj.

A HC bench comprising Justice Nazrul Islam Talukder and Justice Mohammad Ali ordered Rafiq to withdraw the application rejecting the anticipatory bail.

“Some 18 people applied for anticipatory bail in two cases of land grabbing, attempted murder and robbery in Rupganj of Narayanganj. However, the court rejected the application of three people including Rafiqul Islam and granted six weeks anticipatory bail to the rest,” said Deputy Attorney General Saifuddin Khaled.

Earlier on 19 November, two cases had been filed against Rongdhanu Group Chairman Rafiqul Islam and his cohorts on charges of grabbing land, attempting to murder and looting.

Two plaintiffs – Ali Azgar Bhuyian and Mohammad Mamun – filed the cases with the Chief Judicial Magistrate Court in Narayanganj.

Aiming to grab their land, the accused led by Rafiq carried out attacks on their houses at Nawra in Kayetpara under Rupganj of Narayanganj on 18 November and on different days in October.

After hearing the cases, Senior Judicial Magistrate Kaiser Alam directed Rupganj police to record the case of Mamun as a First Information Report (FIR). The court directed the Detective Branch (DB) of Narayanganj to investigate the case filed by Ali Azgar.

Other accused in the Ali Azgar Bhuyian’s cases are Mizanur Rahman, Jasim Uddin Josu, Rubel, Billal, Saiful, Jahid, Omar Faruk, Mozammel, Dulal Napit, Abdur Rahman, Altaf, Sajib, Emdadul Huq, Arif, Razib, Yusuf, Alauddin, Shahin, Mohammad Rubel, Shiplu, Minarul, Alek, Sohel, Matin, Faisal, Rasel, Tazirul, Yakub, Abdur Rouf and Rifat.

According to the case, the accused, equipped with lethal weapons, attacked his newly built building on 18 November. They however vandalised the property and stole cash and valuables totaling Tk12.79 lakh from the residence.

This was carried out in response to the plaintiff's refusal to register his land under Rongdhanu Group Chairman Rafiq.

In addition to Rafiq, the case filed by Mamun accuses Mizanur Rahman, Omar Faruk, Rubel, Minarul, Billal, Jahid, Jahangir, Rana, Nuruzzaman, Delwar, Emon, Sohel, Hasan, Mohammad, Rony, Humayun, and Mozammel.

According to the case filed by Mamun, on 17 October, the accused threatened him and his family members, pressuring them to surrender a parcel of their land (95 decimal) registered under Rongdhanu Group Chairman Rafiq and his brother Mizanur.

On 19 October, the accused, along with 30 to 35 unidentified individuals armed with lethal weapons, once again threatened the plaintiff and his brothers for the same purpose.

Finally, the accused and accomplices forcibly entered their residence, engaging in acts of vandalism on 21 October and looted valuables amounting to Tk68.25 lakh before ultimately setting both the house and cowshed on fire.

Azgar Ali Bhuiyan, another plaintiff, mentioned in the other case that the accused (Rafiq and cohort) had been threatening to register the 5 bigha land in the name of Rafiqul and Mizanur for a long time.

The accused attacked his house with domestic weapons and ransacked his house on 18 November and looted goods worth around Tk12.79 lakh, including cattle and goats, furniture, cash, TV, fridge and gold ornaments.

Through the attack on Azgar’s father, the gang of Rafiq bulldozed the house of Azgar valued at Tk50 and asked to register the property in their names.