5 days' remand for Shafik Rehman

Police has given permission to interrogate journalist Shafik Rehman in remand for five days.

 

Dhaka Chief Metroplitan Magistrate Court's judge Mohammad Mazharul Islam gave the order at Saturday noon.

 

Earlier, detectives arrested journalist Shafik Rehman, former editor of the Bangla daily Jaijaidin, from his residence in the city’s Eskaton Garden area on Saturday morning.

 

A team of plainclothes policemen, numbering three, entered the house of Shafik, also an adviser to BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, introducing themselves as journalists of Boishakhi TV channel around 8 am, said Dr Shawkhat Hossain Sayantho, a close associate of Rehman.

 

Later, they picked him up posing as members of the Detective Branch of police, added Sayantho.

 

Contacted, Deputy Commissioner (Media) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police Maruf Hossain Sarder said Rehman was arrested by DB police in connection with a case filed with Paltan Police Station.

 

Meanwhile, Shafik Rehman, in his early 80s, was shown arrested in a criminal conspiracy case filed with Paltan Police Station on August 03, 2015, said DB inspector Md Fazlur Rahman.

 

After filing the case it was transferred to DB for investigation and ASP of Detective Branch Hasan Arafat was made investigation officer of the case.

 

However, police sent Rehman to Dhaka CMM Court and they are set to submit a petition seeking a seven-day remand for interrogation, reports the UNB.

 

BNP denounced the arrest of senior journalist Shafik Rehman saying it is the latest example of suppressing divergent views by the government.

 

Speaking at a press briefing at the party's Nayapaltan central office, BNP senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi also threatened to announce a harsher action program if Shafik Rehman and Gazipur city mayor MA Mannan are not released immediately.

 

Demanding immediate release of Shafik Rehman, Fakhrul urged the government to ensure people's right of expression and free thinking.