One arrested over death of AL leader in Cox’s Bazar

Police have arrested an 18-year-old youth for his alleged involvement with the death of an Awami League leader of Cox’s Bazar.

Cox's Bazar Sadar Police Station’s Officer In-Charge Md Rafiqul Islam said they arrested the youth, Ashraful Islam, during a drive in the early hours of Tuesday, according to local news portals.

On Monday morning, the body of an Awami League leader, Saif Uddin, was recovered from a hotel in Cox’s Bazar.

Saif Uddin was a member of the ruling Awami League’s Cox’s Bazar municipality unit and a resident of Ghonaparea of Sadar upazila of the district.

A bdnews24.com report said the law enforcers identified Ashraful after reviewing the hotel’s CCTV camera footage. He was subsequently apprehended in the city’s Pahartali Islampur area around 1:30 am on Tuesday.

Ashraful is a resident of the Pahartali Islampur area in Cox’s Bazar Municipality Ward No. 7.

Acting on a tip-off, police set up a checkpoint outside the Howaikang Police Outpost in Teknaf Upazila around 11:30 pm on Monday and later caught Ashraful during a search on a bus, authorities said.

“Three stab wounds and several injury marks were found on the victim’s body,” Cox’s Bazar Police Superintendent Md Mahfuzul Islam said.

Police launched efforts to apprehend suspects in Saifuddin's murder after examining the CCTV camera footage from the hotel.

Saifuddin and two others arrived at the hotel around 5:30 pm on Sunday, according to Rezaul Karim, the manager of Hotel Sunmoon. His friends learnt about his whereabouts on Monday.

"He was found dead when the hotel authorities took his friends up to his room. The incident was immediately reported to the police,” Karim said.

 “Saifuddin often stayed at the hotel after booking rooms,” he added.

The victim’s younger brother, Mohiuddin, said Saifuddin was not at home that night. His phone was also switched off.

 “My sister-in-law later informed his friends, who found his body at Hotel Sunmoon.”