Iqbal Hossain, 3 others on fresh remand

Iqbal Hossain and three other accused in the case of desecration of Holy Quran at temporary Puja mandap in Cumilla’s Nanuwar Dighir Par have been remanded for another five days allowing police to further quiz them.

Cumilla Senior Judicial Magistrate Judge Farhana Sultana granted the remand on Friday afternoon after police applied for a seven-day remand in the case of hurting religious sentiments.

Earlier on the day, Criminal Investigation Department (CID) produced the accused before the court seeking a fresh seven-day remand, confirmed Assistant Superintendent of Police Enamul Haque of CID.

Police arrested Iqbal, who allegedly kept the holy Quran at a Durga Puja venue in Cumilla, in Cox’s Bazar on Thursday night after identifying him by scanning the footage of closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras.

Iqbal's alleged act drew accusations of desecrating the holy book hurled at the Hindu community and triggered sectarian tension and violence across the country.

Iqbal is believed to have placed the holy Quran inside the Nanua Dighir Par puja mandap in Cumilla city in the early hours of October 13, which led to attacks on Durga Puja venues across the country recently.

Police filed a case in this connection with Kotwali police station the following day.

Violence against houses and businesses of the Hindu community followed in several districts, including Chandpur, Noakhali, Chattogram and Rangpur, leaving at least seven people dead and many injured. Of the dead, five were Muslim rioters who died in police firing.