Ex-SAD leader Rabbi, whose release was secured by Hannan Masud in May, now remanded in extortion case

A Dhaka court has ordered a two‑day remand for Saiful Islam Rabbi, 28, former coordinator of Students Against Discrimination (SAD), along with three others, in connection with an extortion case filed at Mohammadpur Police Station.

Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Mehedi Hasan issued the order today (30 September) following a hearing, also directing that a separate accused, Shahin Hossain, be interrogated at the jail gate. The other defendants remanded for two days are Abu Sufian, Abdur Rahman alias Manik, and Habibur Rahman Forhad.

Lawyers for the accused sought to cancel the remand and requested bail, while the prosecution opposed the applications. The court delivered its ruling after hearing submissions from both sides. Yesterday (29 September), the court had sent the defendants to prison and scheduled today's hearing for the remand application.

Sub‑Inspector Mizanur Rahman of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police's Prosecution Division confirmed that five defendants appeared before the court. Sub‑Inspector Md Nazmul Islam of Mohammadpur Police Station, the investigating officer, had applied for a seven‑day remand, but the court granted two days for four of them.

The case was filed by Shilpi Akter, owner of Safe Hospital and Diagnostic Centre in Mohammadpur. According to the complaint, on 20 September, Shahin took his pregnant wife to Safe Hospital, where she gave birth to a stillborn baby. The accused allegedly then demanded Tk3 lakh from the hospital owner's son, threatening to file a case over the incident.

When refused, they allegedly vandalised equipment worth Tk1.5 lakh, abducted the owner's son, and extorted Tk1.2 lakh. On 28 September, they allegedly collected another Tk1 lakh and continued pressuring for more through threats.

It is notable that Saiful Islam Rabbi, as then‑coordinator of the Students Against Discrimination Mohammadpur unit, was previously involved in a high‑profile incident. On the night of 19 May, a large, agitated crowd, including activists from the Anti‑Discrimination Student Movement, surrounded the Dhanmondi residence of Golam Mostafa, chairman of Hakkani Publishers, whom they labelled an "Awami League collaborator."

The group attempted to force their way into the house. Police arrived following a 999 call and encountered resistance, with some pressing for Mostafa's arrest. Several individuals, including Rabbi, were taken into custody. The following day, another leader of the movement, Abdul Hannan Masud, secured their release after signing a bond at Dhanmondi Police Station.