Major Sadique's wife Sumaiya placed on 5-day remand over 'secret meeting' of banned AL, BCL leaders
During the hearing, Sumaiya pleaded with the court not to place her on remand, saying, "Please don't send me on remand, sir. I haven't done anything wrong."
Sumaiya Zafrin, wife of Major (retd) Sadique (now in military custody), has been placed on a five-day remand in a case filed under the Anti-Terrorism Act over alleged guerrilla training involving members of the Awami League.
Following a hearing today (7 August), Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Md Sefatullah granted the remand order.
Earlier in the day, Inspector of the Detective Branch of Police Md Jehad Hossain, the investigating officer in the case, produced Sumaiya before the court and sought a seven-day remand for further interrogation.
Keep updated, follow The Business Standard's Google news channel
Defence lawyer Morshed Hossain Shaheen, along with others representing the accused, appealed for bail and opposed the remand petition. On the other hand, Additional Public Prosecutor Azizul Haque Didar and Assistant Public Prosecutor Abdul Qaiyum Nayan argued in favour of the remand. After hearing both sides, the court granted a five-day remand.
During the remand hearing, Sumaiya pleaded with the court not to place her on remand, saying, "Please don't send me on remand, sir. I haven't done anything wrong."
State prosecutors argued in favour of granting remand, stating that the accused were involved in a conspiracy against the government.
They alleged that Sumaiya held meetings with 300–400 people in the KB Convention Hall, as part of the anti-government campaign "Operation Dhaka Blockade."
They further claimed that Sumaiya and her husband were leading the operation and that the state must know why such a gathering was organised and under what false identity.
Given the chance to speak, Sumaiya told the court, "Someone else entered the convention hall using my identity, but I'm being blamed. Everything at the venue was pre-arranged. I only accompanied my husband and had no knowledge of what was going on there."
Despite her plea, the court approved the remand.
Sumaiya Zafrin was taken into custody by the Detective Branch (DB) last night from the Mirpur DOHS area. According to DB officials, she was detained in connection with a "secret meeting" recently held at Bashundhara residential area.
According to the case statement, on 8 July this year, a secret meeting was held at KB Convention Centre near Bashundhara by the banned BCL, attended by 300–400 people including members of the banned group, Awami League affiliates, and retired government officials.
The meeting, which lasted from morning to evening, involved anti-government slogans and discussions to create nationwide unrest. Plans were made to mobilise people to the capital upon instructions from former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, occupy the Shahbagh intersection, and generate instability and panic to facilitate Hasina's return.
On 13 July, Bhatara Police Station Sub-Inspector Jyotirmoy Mondal filed a case under the Anti-Terrorism Act.
Major Sadique was detained by the military after reports surfaced on social media and in the press alleging his involvement in training the AL activists. And Sumaiya was later arrested by the police.
Earlier, Awami League leader Shamima Nasrin (Shampa), wife of a senior official at the Directorate General of Health Services, and Jubo League leader Sohel Rana were placed on remand in connection with the same.
At least 30 others, including leaders and activists of the banned Awami League, its student wing Chhatra League, and other affiliated organisations, were arrested in this incident.
