3-day remand for 12 arrested on suspicion of militancy

Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Arifur Rahman has ordered three-day remand for 12 persons arrested on charges of planning militant activities by holding a secret meeting at Tejgaon College Jame Mosque in the capital.

The court passed this order after hearing on Saturday (September 19). Earlier the investigation officer of the case, police inspector Md Akhtar Morshed of the Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime Unit, prayed for seven-day remand for each of the accused.

State counsel Azizul Haque Didar said investigation has found allegations that the accused had planned to create unrest in the country and were collecting people for jihad. It was informed to the court that remand is necessary for interrogation to know who else are involved with them.

On the other hand defence counsel Masud-ur Rahman opposed the remand and prayed for bail. After hearing the court rejected the bail prayer and granted three-day remand for each of the accused.

The remand application stated that the Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime Unit of Dhaka Metropolitan Police came to know through information technology that several youths had gathered at the Coca-Cola intersection area of Tejgaon with the aim of disrupting peace and order in the country, spreading extremism and carrying out major violent incidents. Later they were arrested in a drive with the assistance of Tejgaon and Sher-e-Bangla Nagar thana police.

According to police, the arrested persons are members of a secret WhatsApp group named ‘Meetup’. The investigating agency alleges that they used to communicate extremist talks and various issues through that group and had gathered for the purpose of sabotage.

The arrested persons are Mo Shihab Uddin, 32, Marzuk Ahmed, 26, Saifur Rahman Khan, 32, Mo Rasmi Mia, 29, Mo Kamisul Islam, 36, Mo Sajjad Hossain, 22, Afif Ahmed, 20, Mo Mohaiminul Haque, 27, Jawji Chowdhury, 19, Shahadat Hossain, 25, Sakib Ahmed, 26, and Junaed Ahmed, 21.

CTTC claims that there was earlier allegation of involvement with extremism against the arrested Shihab Uddin. A case under the Anti-Terrorism Act is pending against him at Palash thana of Narsingdi. Besides, a case under the Speedy Trial Act is pending against Marzuk Ahmed at Tejgaon thana.

In the remand application the investigation officer said interrogation of the accused is necessary for proper investigation of the case and to uncover the main mystery of the incident. Their used mobile phones, SIM cards and other digital evidence need to be recovered and cyber information analyzed.

Besides, remand of the accused was prayed for to verify their conversations and communication information on various social media including WhatsApp, Facebook, Telegram and Messenger, identify the planners and accomplices behind the incident and know about the source of money and financiers in the extremist activities.