Golam Faijullah Fahim

Police yesterday filed an attempted murder case against six named and several unnamed accused in connection with Wednesday's machete attack on a college teacher in Madaripur.

The accused include arrested Golam Faizullah Fahim, who was caught by locals while fleeing after the attack.  

The five other named accused are Taksin Salman alias Samil, 20, Shahrier Hossain Palash, 20, Mejbah, 19, Raihan, 20, and Jahin, 20.

Police said Faizullah, who had “admitted” to be a member of Hizb-ut Tahrir, divulged the five names during his primary interrogation.

Asked about their further details, a top police official who is involved in the investigation, quoted the arrestee and said they were also from the banned militant outfit.

“We're verifying the claims of Faizullah to find out whether he is telling the truth or trying to mislead the investigators,” said the official, wishing not to be named.

Police sources said apart from Faizullah, Samil and Palash directly took part in the attack carried out on Ripon Chakraborty, a lecturer of mathematics at Government Nazimuddin University College, at his home.

The other three named accused were part of a “backup team”.

The men were about to launch a similar attack in a different district, but their plan was foiled as Faizullah was caught.

Meanwhile, a Madaripur court yesterday placed Faizullah on a 10-day remand in the case.

The court passed the order after Madaripur Sadar Police Station Sub-inspector (SI) Abdul Barek placed the arrestee before the court with a 15-day remand prayer.

SI Ayub Ali filed the attempted murder case with the police station in the early hours of yesterday.

No one from the victim's family was willing to file the case themselves, said police sources.

Police were trying to arrest the other accused.

On Wednesday and Thursday, police raided several places in the capital to nab the attackers. Faizullah, a student of Uttara High School and College, was also taken on the drive.

Shahidul Islam, assistant registrar of Barisal Medical College and Hospital, where the teacher was undergoing treatment, said he was now out of danger.

Meanwhile, a team of representatives from the Minority Watch yesterday met the deputy commissioner and the superintendent of police of Madaripur and demanded proper investigation into the incident and the arrest of the attackers.