Pahela Baishakh sex offender held: Cops

Detectives today claimed to have made the first arrest in connection with sexual assault during Pahela Baishakh celebration at Dhaka University nine months ago.

The man, named Md Kamal, was picked up at Chawk Bazar area of the capital yesterday, according to a Facebook post on the page of Dhaka Metropolitan Police.

Kamal was placed on a two-day remand today after the detectives produced him before the court with a seven-day remand prayer.

Metropolitan Magistrate Abdullah Al Masud passed the remand order.
 

Kamal is among the eight persons identified from CCTV footage, Maruf Hossain Sarder, deputy commissioner of DMP media wing, told The Daily Star confirming the arrest.

During primary interrogation, Kamal admitted his involvement in the assault, according to the Facebook status.

Meanwhile, Detective Branch (DB) of police today filed an application with another Dhaka court seeking revival of the sexual assault case.

Dipak Chandra Das, a sub-inspector of DB and also the investigation officer of the case, submitted the appeal with the Third Tribunal for Prevention of Women and Children Repression.

DB filed the appeal as SI Dipak had earlier submitted the final report clearing all the suspects from the sexual assault charges.

Judge Jayasri Samaddar of the tribunal fixed February 23 to pass an order on the appeal and directed police to produce Kamal before the court on the scheduled date.

At least 20 women were sexually assaulted for over an hour, allegedly under the nose of police, by a group of rowdy youths on the evening of April 14.

The incident sparked a wave of protest throughout the country with people from all quarters condemning the incident and demanding immediate arrest of the culprits.

Police on May 17 declared Tk 1 lakh reward for capture of each eight identified from camera footages of the sexual assault during Pahela Baishakh celebrations.