Ex-Gazipur-5 MP Akhtaruzzaman placed on 3-day remand in anti-terrorism case

A Dhaka court today (10 August) placed former Gazipur-5 MP Akhtaruzzaman, 73, on a three-day remand in a case filed under the Anti-Terrorism Act with Tejgaon Industrial Area Police Station.

Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Ariful Islam passed the order after a hearing this afternoon.

Dhaka Metropolitan Police's Detective Branch (DB) arrested Akhtaruzzaman from a house in Gulshan on the night of 5 August. The following day, police produced him before the court and sought a seven-day remand.

However, as the case's main documents were unavailable that day, the court sent him to jail and fixed 10 August for the remand hearing, Arif Reza, sub-inspector of the Dhaka prosecution division, confirmed. 

According to the remand petition, preliminary interrogation and evidence indicate that Akhtaruzzaman was involved in the incident.

Police said his remand was necessary to identify and arrest other absconding accused allegedly involved in the case, gather information about their "anti-state illegal plans", determine the source of the illegal cocktail bombs recovered in his custody and obtain other important information related to the case.

During today's hearing, defence lawyers sought cancellation of the remand and bail for Akhtaruzzaman. The prosecution opposed the plea.

After hearing both sides, the court granted a three-day remand.

According to the case statement, on the morning of 18 June, around 35-40 leaders and activists of the banned Awami League and Bangladesh Chhatra League, including Nibas Majumdar, brought out a procession near the Mohakhali bus terminal in the Tejgaon Industrial Area Police Station jurisdiction.

They allegedly chanted anti-government slogans and carried out various anti-state activities, including exploding cocktails and creating panic among the public.

Police later filed the case under the Anti-Terrorism Act with Tejgaon Industrial Area Police Station over the incident.