Haji Salim’s son gets bail on surrender

PBC NEWS DESK: Awami League lawmaker Haji Md Salim’s son Md Erfan Salim has been granted bail in a case over allegedly assaulting and attempt to kill a Bangladesh Navy officer in 2020.

Dhaka Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Asaduzzaman Nur passed an order on Thursday after hearing, a day after issued an arrest warrant against Erfan Salim.The same court on Wednesday issued the warrant against Erfan as he was absent in the hearing on the ground of sickness. A prayer was also submitted seeking time on behalf of Erfan Salim.

Following the court order, Erfan surrendered in the court on Thursday.

On Wednesday, the court indicted Erfan Salim and four others in the case and fixed March 7 for deposition.The other four indicted accused are Erfan’s bodyguard Md Zahidul Molla, driver Mizanur Rahman, Madina Group’s protocol officer AB Siddique Dipu and Erfan’s assistant Kazi Ripon.

Of them, Zahidul is now in jail, Mizanur and Dipu are on bail while Kazi Ripon has been absconding.

According to the case documents, Lt Wasif Ahmad Khan of the Bangladesh Navy and his wife were crossing Kalabagan signal on their bike on October 25, 2020 evening.

Just at that time, the SUV of Haji Salim’s son and councilor of Ward No. 30 of the Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) Erfan Selim rammed the bike from behind. Keeping his motorbike on the roadside, the Navy official got down and stood in front of the SUV.

At that time, Erfan Selim and his men got down from the SUV and allegedly started punching him on his face and threatened to kill him. They also hurled abusive language at his wife.

The Navy official on October 26, 2020 filed the case against Erfan, his bodyguard Md Zahidul Molla, protocol officer AB Siddique Dipu, driver Mizanur Rahman and 2/3 unidentified persons at Dhanmondi Police Station in the capital.