Ex-MP Latif Siddiqui, DU Prof Karzon among 16 jailed in anti-terror case for 'conspiring to oust interim govt'
The case comes following a roundtable of Mancha 71 where speeches were delivered provoking others to destabilise the country
Sixteen people, including former textiles and jute minister Abdul Latif Siddiqui and Dhaka University law Professor Sheikh Hafizur Rahman Karzon, have been sent to jail in a case accusing them of conspiring to oust the interim government.
The case, filed under the Anti-Terrorism Act with Shahbagh Police Station, alleges that the accused sought to destabilise the country through armed struggle during a roundtable discussion at the Dhaka Reporters Unity (DRU) on Thursday.
Police detained Latif Siddiqui, 87, and the others from DRU Thursday night and later showed them arrested in the case.
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Last night, TBS contacted Shahbagh police station Officer-in-Charge Khalid Mansur, asking why only the 16 were arrested and not those who attacked the event and created a mob. In reply, OC Mansur said, "A case has been filed. An investigation is also underway against those who carried out the attack at DRU. They too will be brought under investigation based on the findings."
Why would I seek bail from a court that doesn't have the authority to grant it?
In the morning, the investigating officer of the case, Sub-Inspector Toufiq Hasan, submitted a petition to the court of Dhaka Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Sarah Farzana, requesting their detention. Magistrate Sarah Farzana granted the plea and ordered all 16 into custody.
The case was filed by Shahbagh Police Station Officer-in-Charge Amirul Islam. According to the complaint, the attendees of the roundtable titled "Our Great Liberation War and the Constitution of Bangladesh" organised by the "Mancha 71" (Platform 71) were allegedly provoking others to destabilise the country through armed struggle and conspiring to overthrow the current interim government.
The other accused in the case are Md Abdullah Al Amin, 73; Sheikh Hafizur Rahman Karzon, 55; Manjurul Alam Panna, 49; Kazi ATM Anisur Rahman Bulbul, 72; Golam Mostafa, 81; Md Mahiul Islam alias Babu, 64; Md Zakir Hossain, 74; Md Tausiful Bari Khan, 72; Md Amir Hossain Sumon, 37; Md Al Amin, 40; Md Nazmul Ahsan, 35; Syed Shahed Hasan, 36; Md Shafiqul Islam Delwar, 64; Dewan Mohammad Ali, 50; and Md Abdullahil Qaiyum, 61.
Police in its petition to the court stated, "For the sake of a proper investigation, and since the inquiry has not yet been completed and the identity and address of the accused have not yet been verified, it is absolutely necessary to keep the accused in jail custody."
Court proceedings
The accused were brought to court around 9:50am today (29 August), handcuffed and wearing helmets and bulletproof vests. They were placed in the defendants' dock before Magistrate Sarah Farzana took the bench at 10:55am.
With the court's permission, defence lawyers attempted to collect signatures from the accused for legal representation. Most complied, except for Latif Siddiqui.
When lawyer Saiful Islam Saif approached him, the former Tangail-4 MP refused to sign the power of attorney.
Latif said, "Why would I seek bail from a court that doesn't have the authority to grant it? I won't sign the wakalatnama [power of attorney], nor will I apply for bail."
Professor Hafizur Rahman Karzon, on the other hand, demanded Tk5 crore from the government, saying his rights under Article 33 of the Constitution were violated and he faced humiliation in custody.
During the hearing, he raised a copy of the Constitution in court and accused the authorities of violating his rights. "Our human rights have been violated. Everything the public prosecutor says is false. We are victims. I demand Tk5 crore in compensation. Grant us bail immediately," he said.
"This Constitution was written with the blood of three million martyrs. It must be protected," he told the court.
He also claimed he was barred from appointing a lawyer and was forced to spend the night in a lock-up without basic facilities.
Karzon's lawyer Farzana Yasmin Rakhi told reporters that the detainees, including Latif Siddiqui, were kept in dusty conditions without a fan. "Their rights under Article 33 were violated," she said.
Meanwhile, Journalist Manjurul Alam Panna questioned whether speaking about freedom fighters could be labelled "terrorism".
In the Dhaka court premises, while being produced in handcuffs, Panna said, "Do you think we are terrorists? Speaking in favour of freedom fighters or talking to them – how can that be terrorism? The sons of the soil fought for this country. Standing by those who liberated the nation, does that mean terrorism?"
Holding up his chained hands before reporters, he said, "These hands write against terrorists and corrupt people. Now look, the same hands are in handcuffs. Tell me, what should journalists write about? Whose side should they take?"
Defense lawyers argued for bail for the accused, while state counsel Muhammad Shamsuddoha Sumon opposed the petitions. After hearing both sides, the court ordered all 16 accused to be sent to jail.
By 11:51am, the accused were loaded into a prison van and sent to Keraniganj jail.
What is 'Mancha 71'
According to the police, interrogations revealed that "Mancha 71" was established on 5 August last year, with the aim of stopping a deep conspiracy to erase and distort the history of the Liberation War.
As part of that, a roundtable discussion was organised at 10am on Thursday.
However, according to media reports and the platform's media statement on launch, it was formed on 5 August this year, with aims to safeguard the dignity of war veterans and counter the distortion of Bangladesh's Liberation War history.
It further stated that the platform was formed through an alliance of freedom fighters, youth leaders, and student representatives, the initiative being jointly coordinated by Abdullah Al Mahmud Bir Pratik and senior Supreme Court lawyer ZI Khan Panna.
Speaking to the media, Abdullah Al Mahmud, had said the platform was not created to serve any political party's purpose.
What happened at DRU
Police said the roundtable discussion at the DRU, attended by the arrestees along with 70 to 80 other people including freedom fighters, lawyers, writers and academics, turned confrontational when a group identifying itself as "July fighters" stormed the event.
Shamim Hossain, a Jamaat-e-Islami leader from the Paltan Police Station area, was also reportedly present at the scene during the incident.
According to those present at the event, the speakers at the discussion chanted "Joy Bangla" and delivered speeches criticising the "July Movement."
They also claimed that through his speech Abdul Latif Siddiqui provoked the others to destabilise the country through armed struggle and to overthrow the current interim government.
Due to his conspiratorial speech, a group under the banner "July fighters" surrounded them and began chanting slogans, calling them "Awami fascists", reads the case statement.
As the situation heated up, police reached the location and escorted the 16 people out from the premises into custody. They were later shown arrested in the case.
