Rangpur Correspondent:

Police have arrested Ataurzaman Babu, President of the Rangpur city unit of Awami Swechchasebak League, in connection with multiple cases, including attempted murder and attacks on protest marches of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement.

“Ataurzaman Babu was arrested from the Engineer Para area of Rangpur city around 1:00 am on Thursday” Md Ataur Rahman, officer-in-charge (OC) of Kotwali police station under Rangpur Metropolitan Police.

Babu is reportedly the first high-ranking leader of the Awami League or any of its affiliated organisations in Rangpur to be arrested following the fall of the previous government on 5 August 2024.

He is the son of late AKM Eshak of Nishbetganj Satranjipara under Kotwali police station.

According to police, Babu is the prime accused in the attempted murder case of Joynal Abedin and the fifth accused in another attempted murder case involving Shahidul Islam Sagar — both of whom suffered gunshot wounds during the anti-discrimination student protests in 2024.

“We will produce Ataurzaman Babu before the Rangpur Metropolitan Magistrate Court and submit a remand prayer this afternoon,” the OC added.