UNB, Dhaka: Hours after his arrest, a court here on Saturday placed journalist Shafik Rehman, former editor of Bangla daily Jaijaidin, on a five-day remand in a case filed in connection with plotting to ‘abduct and kill’ Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s son and her ICT adviser Sajeeb Wazed Joy. Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Muhammad Mazharul Islam passed the order after assistant police super of Detective Branch (DB) Hasan Arafat, also investigation officer of the case, produced him before the court seeking a seven-day remand for interrogation. The court also rejected the bail plea filed by Rehman’s lawyer Sanaullah Miah. Earlier, a team of plainclothes policemen entered the house of Shafik, also an adviser to BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, at Eskaton Garden in the city around 8am introducing themselves as journalists of Boishakhi TV channel, 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. 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 in connection with attempting to abduct and kill Joy, said DB inspector Md Fazlur Rahman. On August 3, 2015, a case was filed against Mohammad Ullah Mamun, vice-president of BNP’s cultural wing Jasas, for his alleged involvement in a ‘conspiracy to abduct and kill’ Sajeeb Wazed Joy. According to the case statement, Mamun along with some top leaders of BNP and its allies met at different places in Bangladesh, including Jasas office, and the USA before September 2012 and conspired to abduct and kill Joy. However, only Mamun was named as an accused in the First Information Report (FIR) of the case. After filing of the case it was transferred to DB for investigation and Fazlur Rahman was made investigation officer of the case. BNP denounced the arrest of senior journalist Shafik Rehman saying it is the latest example of suppressing divergent views by the government. Demanding immediate release of Shafik Rehman, Fakhrul urged the government to ensure people’s right of expression and free thinking.
