15 Chhatra League activists remanded over alleged preparations for sabotage
Prosecution says they gathered to implement a plan to bring Hasina back; defence says they were there to cut a birthday cake and hold milad.
A Dhaka court today (29 September) sent 15 activists of the banned Chhatra League to remand in an Anti-Terrorism Act case after they were arrested at the residence of former Barguna-2 Awami League lawmaker Showkat Hasanur Rahman Rimon in the capital's Uttara.
Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Sefatullah passed the order after a hearing, sending 14 of the accused to three-day remand and Farzana, 21, to one-day remand, said Public Prosecutor Muhammad Shamsud Doha Sumon.
The accused are Md Yakub Hossain Rajib, 26, Arafat Mia, 22, Rifat Howlader, 19, Hridoy Hasan, 21, Fahim, 19, Rajib Hossain Rana, 24, Md Firoz, 26, Md Arif, 28, Md Omar Faruk, 21, Abdullah Al Aman, 19, Md Abdullah Al Noman, 21, Sohanur Hossain Shahin, 22, Md Hasib, 19, Md Hasib Mia, 23, and Farzana, 21.
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Iqbal Hossain, investigating officer and sub-inspector of Uttara West Police Station, had sought seven days' remand for each of the accused.
According to the remand petition, activists of the banned Chhatra League, Jubo League and Swechhasebak League had gathered at Rimon's residence to allegedly conspire to commit anti-state offences and prepare for terrorist activities aimed at destabilising the country and damaging state infrastructure.
Police said the remand was needed to identify those allegedly behind and leading the activities, find out who was providing financial support, and arrest the accused who were still at large.
During the hearing, Prosecutor Sumon said the accused had gathered to implement a plan to bring ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina back and were preparing for destructive activities. He sought the maximum remand for the sake of a proper investigation.
Defence lawyer Morshed Hossain Shahin said the accused had gathered to cut a cake and hold a milad mahfil marking Sheikh Hasina's birthday. He argued that the gathering did not constitute terrorist activity and sought cancellation of the remand and bail.
After hearing both sides, the court sent 14 accused to three-day remand and Farzana to one-day remand.
Yesterday, police arrested the accused during a raid at Rimon's residence on Road 20 in Sector 7 of Uttara, following a tip-off.
Police said they recovered 20 pages from a table drawer in a room, containing the names and biographical details of 20 people seeking posts in the Kachua Union unit of Swechhasebak League in Barguna's Patharghata.
The recovered documents reportedly carried the logos of the Awami League and Swechhasebak League, whose political activities are currently banned, photographs of Sheikh Hasina and Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, and the slogans "Joy Bangla, Joy Bangabandhu".
An Anti-Terrorism Act case was subsequently filed with Uttara West Police Station.
