Dhaka, Dec 16 (bdnews24.com)—Senior BNP leader and a major war crimes suspect, Salahuddin Quader Chowdhury, has been taken to the police detective branch headquarters for questioning.
A police official, on conditions of anonymity, confirmed the news to bdnews24.com and said that Salahuddin was taken away from the court premise on a police vehicle.
The vehicle carrying Salahuddin entered the DB office premises around 4:45pm on Thursday, reported bdnews24.com correspondent.
Pro-BNP and pro-Awami League lawyers demonstrated on the court premise as the 5-day remand order was announced.
Dhaka Chief Metropolitan Magistrates' Court of judge Nazrul Islam granted the remand at 3pm over a petition by detective branch inspector Fazlur Rahman.
Salahuddin was brought to the court from the Minto Road DB headquarters around 2pm in a police van. While on the dock, Salahuddin claimed that he had been tortured in custody.
At around 4.30am, the senior opposition leader was arrested from a house in Banani, Dhaka. He was shown arrested in a case filed over arson of a private car near Maghbazar rail crossing on June 26.
Salahuddin's wife and sons obstructed the way and stood in front of the van while it was coming out of the detective branch headquarters. Other BNP leaders were also at the spot demonstrating against his arrest. Later, police were able to clear the way.
The remand petition said that on June 26, the day before BNP-called a countrywide hartal, the private car was set ablaze. Two people had been injured in that incident. A critically injured Faruk Hossain died while undergoing treatment.
The petition added that Salahuddin instigated party leaders and activists to go for a 'killing spree' during hartal and even announced award for it.
Police said that Salahuddin needs to be interrogated to gather information and evidences in connection to the incident.
Salahuddin's arrest took place a day after permission of his detention was sought from the International Crimes Tribunal on war crimes charges.
BNP has called a half-day hartal in Chittagong protesting Salahuddin's arrest.
Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury, BNP's Chittagong metropolitan unit president, declared the 6am-2pm general strike from a rally on Thursday.
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