Ex-Minister Latif Siddiqui, journalist Panna denied bail in anti-terror case

A Dhaka court has rejected the bail petitions of former minister Abdul Latif Siddiqui and journalist Manjurul Alam Panna in a case filed under the Anti-Terrorism Act.

Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Hasib Ullah Piyas passed the order on Thursday (September 4) after a hearing where defence lawyer Farzana Yasmin Rakhi argued for bail, while Additional Public Prosecutor Shamsuddoha Suman opposed it on behalf of the state.

Panna was produced in court during the hearing. Both he and Siddiqui, along with 14 others, were sent to jail on 29 August following their arrests in connection with the case.

According to the charges, the accused were linked to an organisation called Manch 71, which emerged on 5 August claiming to resist conspiracies against the history and achievements of the Liberation War. Police said a group associated with the organisation disrupted a roundtable at Dhaka Reporters’ Unity on 28 August, vandalised banners, confined participants, and detained some attendees, including Latif Siddiqui and Professor Sheikh Hafizur Rahman.

Following the incident, SI Amirul Islam filed a case under the Anti-Terrorism Act at Shahbagh Police Station, leading to the arrests.