BNP leader Annie placed on 7-day remand in BTV vandalism case

A Dhaka court has placed BNP Joint Secretary General Shahid Uddin Chowdhury Annie on a seven-day remand in a case filed over vandalism at the Bangladesh Television (BTV) headquarters in the capital's Rampura on 18 July.

The Dhaka Chief Metropolitan Magistrate's Court-27 gave the order today (27 July) after the police sought a 10-day remand in the case. 

Earlier on 25 July, Annie was detained from the Elephant Road area of the capital in the afternoon.

The senior BNP leader was reportedly picked up by plainclothes law enforcement members.

In a recent statement, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir strongly condemned the arrest of the opposition leaders and workers.

He also urged the government to release the arrested leaders and workers of the BNP and other opposition parties unconditionally after withdrawing the politically motivated cases filed against them.

Three more BNP leaders, including Shahiduddin Chowdhury Annie, and Bangladesh Jatiya Party (BJP) Chairman Andaleeve Rahman Partho were arrested recently.

A team of the Detective Branch (DB) of police arrested Andaleeve Rahman Partho, a former MP, from his Gulshan residence early Thursday, said Monirul Islam, deputy commissioner (DB) of Gulshan Division.

Later, a Dhaka court placed Partho on a five-day remand in a case filed over vandalising and setting Setu Bhaban in Dhaka on fire on 18 July.

Another team of DB arrested the BNP voluntary wing Swechhasebak Dal's Dhaka South unit general secretary, who was picked up on Wednesday night from Khilgaon area, said BNP chairperson's media wing member Shamsuddin Didar.

Besides, BNP's health affairs secretary Dr Rafiqul Islam, national executive committee member Tariqul Islam Tenjing, BNP Vice Chairman Barkatullah Bulu's son Saniat (who is not involved in politics) were arrested from different parts of the capital earlier as part of arrest spree across the country over quota movement.