Court sends Dhaka cafe attack suspect to jail

A Bangladeshi-British national, Hasnat Reza Karim, believed to be one of the masterminds of the deadly Dhaka cafe terror attack which killed 20 persons, was sent to jail on Monday.

Metropolitan Magistrate Ahsan Habib passed the order after police produced Hasnat, a former professor of North South University, after the completion of his 16-day remand in two stints before the court on Monday, the Daily Star reported.

The court fixed August 24 for hearing a petition filed by Hasnat seeking bail.

Earlier in the day, Masudur Rahman, deputy commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police, told reporters that they would not seek fresh remand for Hasnat for the time being.

"The information we got from Hasnat during his two-term remand is being scrutinised," Rahman said.

If needed, the law enforcers will seek his remand in the future, he added.

Hasnat was one of the rescued hostages on the day of the attack. He was questioned over his militant connection.

Police said that Hasnat had downloaded WICKR ME -- a secured private messenger -- on his phone minutes after the terror siege was launched at the Holey Artisan Bakery in Gulshan area of the Bangladesh capital city. He was formally arrested on August 13.

Also on August 13, another detainee, Tahmid Hasib Khan, was also taken on remand.

Detectives interrogated Hasnat, his family and other survivors after they were released minutes before the commando operation on July 2. Even though others were released, Hasnat and Tahmid were kept in custody.

--IANS

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