A Dhaka court on Thursday placed eight people on a two-day remand in a case filed over the vandalism and arson attack on Prothom Alo office in Karwan Bazar.
Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Md Hasan Shahadat passed the order after police produced them before the court with a seven-day remand prayer, said a sub-inspector at the court.
The eight are Naim Islam, 25; Saidur Rahman, 25; Abul Kashem, 33; Pranto Sikdar, 21; Raju Ahmed, 33; Sagar Islam, 37; Mohammad Jahangir, 28; and Mohammad Hasan, 22.
On December 22 last year, a case was filed by Prothom Alo with Tejgaon Police Station against 400-500 unidentified people over the attack. The case brought charges under the Penal Code, the Anti-Terrorism Act, the Special Powers Act, and the Cyber Security Ordinance.
The value of Prothom Alo's looted property is estimated at Tk 2.50 crore, while total damage due to vandalism and arson is estimated to be Tk 32 crore, read the case statement.
The Daily Star also filed a case on December 22 against 350-400 unidentified people under the same laws over the attack at their head office. The total estimated loss stands at around Tk 40 crore.
Court records say 37 individuals were arrested in connection with the two cases till December 26 last year. Of them, 11 were arrested in the Daily Star case, while 26 were arrested in the Prothom Alo case.
