3 including Imi sent to jail in anti-terrorism act case

A court has sent three people, including former general secretary of Slogan ’71 Sheikh Tasnim Afroz Imi, to jail in a case filed under the Anti-Terrorism Act with Shahbagh police station in the capital.

Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Jewel Rana passed the order on Sunday, March 8.

The other two accused are Md Asif Ahmed Soikat, former employment affairs secretary of the Shahidullah Hall unit of the banned Bangladesh Chhatra League at University of Dhaka, and organisation leader Abdul Al Mamun.

The accused were produced before the court and the investigation officer of the case, Shahbagh police station sub-inspector Md Ashadul Islam, sought their detention in jail. After the hearing, the court granted the plea and ordered that they be sent to jail.

According to the case statement, around 3pm on Saturday, March 7, several members of the banned organisation were broadcasting the March 7 speech through loudspeakers at the Shahidullah Hall crossing area under Shahbagh police station.

Police said that when officers reached the scene after receiving information, Asif Ahmed Soikat was detained with the help of locals while attempting to flee.

Later the same day, around 9:20pm, it was alleged that 10 to 15 people gathered in front of gate No. 1 of the Bangladesh National Museum under the leadership of Sheikh Tasnim Afroz Imi and Abdul Al Mamun.

Police alleged that they chanted provocative slogans through loudspeakers facing the Shahbagh police station mosque while Taraweeh prayers were being held. They were also accused of trying to reactivate the banned organisation and obstructing police duties.

At that time, a group of students led by DUCSU representatives AB Jubayer and Mohammad Mosaddek detained the two and handed them over to the police.

The following day, Sunday, police filed a case under the Anti-Terrorism Act with Shahbagh police station. The case is currently under investigation.