Suspicious movement on Minto Road: Bangladeshi-origin US citizen Enayet on 2-day remand

Enayet Karim Chowdhury, a Bangladeshi-origin US citizen, has been placed on a two-day remand in a case filed under the Anti-Terrorism Act for allegedly moving suspiciously in a car on Minto Road in the capital.

Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Atiqur Rahman passed the order this afternoon (15 September) after a hearing.

Earlier on 13 September, Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Dilruba Afroz Tithi's court had ordered Enayet to be sent to jail under Section 54 of the Criminal Procedure Code. On that day, DB Police's Ramna zone Inspector Akhter Morshed submitted a petition seeking a 10-day remand.

Additional Public Prosecutor Shamsuddoha Suman confirmed the development.

The accused's lawyer, Farhan Md Araf, sought bail and requested the cancellation of the remand. 

During the hearing, he argued that the accused was shown arrested under Section 54 of the Criminal Procedure Code, and nothing was recovered from him except two mobile phones, only which fall within the scope of that section. 

Bangladeshi-origin US national arrested, sent to jail over plot to overthrow interim govt

He pointed out that the accused arrived in Dhaka on 6 September with a return ticket scheduled for 14 September and was picked up merely for being present near the scene of the incident — a claim he described as implausible. 

Referring to the allegations, Araf said the case suggested that his client had entered the country on behalf of a foreign intelligence agency to plot the overthrow of the current government, yet the same case documents also mentioned meetings with senior government officials. He further argued that since the accused was arrested on 13 September and held in police custody for two days, investigators already had sufficient time to question him. 

Therefore, he prayed for bail and cancellation of the remand.

On the other hand, state lawyer Muhammad Shamsuddoha Suman opposed the bail petition and defended the remand plea. 

He told the court that "even after fleeing, Sheikh Hasina does not want the country's wellbeing. They are obstructing the government's gradual progress towards the elections and working to prevent a peaceful vote." 

The lawyer alleged that the accused is an agent of "RAW," sent to destabilise the country, overthrow the government, and incite unrest. 

For this reason, he argued, a ten-day remand was necessary to uncover who is connected with the accused, his purpose for coming to Bangladesh, and other crucial details.

After hearing both sides, the court rejected the bail application and granted a two-day remand.

Enayet Karim was arrested on Saturday over suspicious movements in a car around Dhaka's Minto Road, known for residences of ministers.

The case alleges that Enayet Karim Chowdhury is in Bangladesh as an agent of a foreign intelligence agency attempting to overthrow the interim government, threatening public security and national sovereignty.

After Enayet's arrest, police filed a case against him under the Anti-Terrorism Act at Ramna Model Police Station in the capital.