DHAKA: A Dhaka court Tuesday placed BNP chairperson and ex-PM Khaleda Zia`s nephew Saiful Islam Duke on two days’ fresh remand in the August 21 grenade-attack case for quizzing.

Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Md Ali Hussain passed the order as special police super of CID Abdul Kahar Akand produced him before the court with seven days’ remand prayer.

Duke, who was in the dock during the remand hearing, claimed himself “innocent” and alleged that he was tortured during the four-day remand.

The state prosecutors barred Duke from making any further statement, court sources said.
His lawyers also said Duke was not involved in the grenade attack. They alleged that the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) sought Duke on fresh remand for taking confessional statement by “torturing” him to implicate BNP leaders in the case.
CID police arrested Duke in the August 21, 2004 grenade-attack case on August 25, as the reinvestigation into the incident took newer turns, implicating some functionaries of the then government of ex-PM Khaleda Zia.

At least 23 people, including Women Affair’s Secretary of Awami League Ivy Rahman, were killed and scores injured in the grenade blasts on the AL rally on Bangabandhu Avenue on August 21 in 2004.

Two cases were filed with police in this connection--one for killings and another filed under the Explosives Act.

BDST: 1930 HRS, SEPT 21,2020